diff --git a/man/CMakeLists.txt b/man/CMakeLists.txt
index beae58bc2c2..1113b73fd8d 100644
--- a/man/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/man/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@ FILE(GLOB MAN1_FILES *.1)
 FILE(GLOB MAN1_EXCLUDE make_win_bin_dist.1)
 FILE(GLOB MAN8_FILES *.8)
 IF(MAN1_FILES)
-  LIST(REMOVE_ITEM MAN1_FILES ${MAN1_EXCLUDE})
+  IF(MAN1_EXCLUDE)
+    LIST(REMOVE_ITEM MAN1_FILES ${MAN1_EXCLUDE})
+  ENDIF()
   INSTALL(FILES ${MAN1_FILES} DESTINATION ${INSTALL_MANDIR}/man1)
 ENDIF()
 IF(MAN8_FILES)