diff --git a/misc/dist/bindist.go b/misc/dist/bindist.go
index 754bd280c2..f56a88dc6b 100644
--- a/misc/dist/bindist.go
+++ b/misc/dist/bindist.go
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ const (
 var preBuildCleanFiles = []string{
 	"lib/codereview",
 	"misc/dashboard/godashboard",
+	"src/cmd/api",
 	"src/cmd/cov",
 	"src/cmd/prof",
 	"src/pkg/exp",
diff --git a/src/run.bash b/src/run.bash
index 83ef65bf0b..e5f2c384bb 100755
--- a/src/run.bash
+++ b/src/run.bash
@@ -176,9 +176,12 @@ unset GOMAXPROCS
 time go run run.go || exit 1
 ) || exit $?
 
-echo
-echo '# Checking API compatibility.'
-go tool api -c $GOROOT/api/go1.txt,$GOROOT/api/go1.1.txt -next $GOROOT/api/next.txt -except $GOROOT/api/except.txt
+if [ -d "$GOROOT/src/cmd/api" ]
+then
+	echo
+	echo '# Checking API compatibility.'
+	go tool api -c $GOROOT/api/go1.txt,$GOROOT/api/go1.1.txt -next $GOROOT/api/next.txt -except $GOROOT/api/except.txt
+fi
 
 echo
 echo ALL TESTS PASSED