Don't try and install as root. Always set LIBDIR to the include the DESTDIR, otherwise it uses the incorrect value set in the toplevel makefile. Index: pptpd-1.3.4/plugins/Makefile =================================================================== --- pptpd-1.3.4.orig/plugins/Makefile 2006-08-03 12:02:01.000000000 +1000 +++ pptpd-1.3.4/plugins/Makefile 2007-06-09 11:42:57.000000000 +1000 @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ CFLAGS = $(COPTS) -I.. -I../../include -fPIC LDFLAGS = -shared LDADD = -lutil -INSTALL = install -o root +INSTALL = install prefix = /usr/local PLUGINS = pptpd-logwtmp.so @@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ %.so: %.c $(CC) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $^ $(LDADD) -LIBDIR ?= $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/lib/pptpd +LIBDIR = $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/lib/pptpd install: $(PLUGINS) $(INSTALL) -d $(LIBDIR)