diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 3969df5afd..6a76cff7bb 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -513,10 +513,9 @@ gdal-testcase:
 query-testcase:
 	cd msautotest/query && export PATH=../..:$(PATH) && ./run_test.py
 
-autotest-update:
-	git submodule init
-	git submodule update
+autotest-install:
+	test -d "msautotest/wxs" ||  git submodule init && git submodule update
 
-test: shp2img mapserv
+test: shp2img mapserv autotest-install
 	@$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS)	wxs-testcase renderers-testcase misc-testcase gdal-testcase query-testcase
 	@./print-test-results.sh