--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -9,6 +9,20 @@
 
 2010-05-09  Jim Meyering  <meyering@redhat.com>
 
+	maint.mk: improve sc_cross_check_PATH_usage_in_tests
+	With my recent change in init.sh from the two-line form:
+	    -#   : ${srcdir=.}
+	    -#   . "$srcdir/init.sh"; path_prepend_ .
+	    +#   . "${srcdir=.}/init.sh"; path_prepend_ .
+	I noticed that using the one-line form would cause this test
+	to fail with a false-positive, or to stop working altogether,
+	depending on whether help-version changed or all the tests did.
+	* top/maint.mk (_hv_regex): Remove this definition.
+	(_hv_regex_weak): Use a weak regex to select all init.sh-sourcing files.
+	(_hv_regex_strong): Use a stronger regex to check for conformance.
+	(sc_cross_check_PATH_usage_in_tests): Rewrite to use the above.
+	Give a separate diagnostic for lack of conforming use.
+
 	maint.mk: prohibit definition of symbols defined by gnulib
 	* top/maint.mk (sc_prohibit_always-defined_macros): Reject the
 	definition of symbols defined by gnulib.

--- a/top/maint.mk
+++ b/top/maint.mk
@@ -979,20 +979,22 @@
 # sets PATH correctly.  This is an inexpensive way to ensure that
 # the other init.sh-using tests also get it right.
 _hv_file ?= $(srcdir)/tests/help-version
-_hv_regex ?= ^ *\. [^ ]*/init\.sh
+_hv_regex_weak ?= ^ *\. .*/init\.sh"
+_hv_regex_strong ?= ^ *\. "\$${srcdir=\.}/init\.sh"
 sc_cross_check_PATH_usage_in_tests:
 	@if test -f $(_hv_file); then					\
-	  if grep -l 'VERSION mismatch' $(_hv_file) >/dev/null		\
-	      && grep -lE '$(_hv_regex)' $(_hv_file) >/dev/null; then	\
-	    good=$$(grep -E '$(_hv_regex)' < $(_hv_file));		\
-	    grep -LFx "$$good"						\
-		  $$(grep -lE '$(_hv_regex)' $$($(VC_LIST_EXCEPT)))	\
-		| grep . &&						\
-	      { echo "$(ME): the above files use path_prepend_ inconsistently" \
-		  1>&2; exit 1; } || :;					\
-	  fi;								\
-	else								\
-	  echo "$@: skipped: no such file: $(_hv_file)";		\
+	  grep -l 'VERSION mismatch' $(_hv_file) >/dev/null		\
+	    || { echo "$@: skipped: no such file: $(_hv_file)" 1>&2;	\
+		 exit 0; };						\
+	  grep -lE '$(_hv_regex_strong)' $(_hv_file) >/dev/null		\
+	    || { echo "$@: $(_hv_file) lacks conforming use of init.sh" 1>&2; \
+		 exit 1; };						\
+	  good=$$(grep -E '$(_hv_regex_strong)' $(_hv_file));		\
+	  grep -LFx "$$good"						\
+		$$(grep -lE '$(_hv_regex_weak)' $$($(VC_LIST_EXCEPT)))	\
+	      | grep . &&						\
+	    { echo "$(ME): the above files use path_prepend_ inconsistently" \
+		1>&2; exit 1; } || :;					\
 	fi
 
 # #if HAVE_... will evaluate to false for any non numeric string.