diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1d8c1f456..65dbce90e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ install:
            toplevel/topdirs.mli "$(INSTALL_LIBDIR)"
 	$(MAKE) -C tools install
 ifeq "$(UNIX_OR_WIN32)" "unix" # Install manual pages only on Unix
-	$(MKDIR) "$(INSTALL_MANDIR)/man$(MANEXT)"
+	$(MKDIR) "$(INSTALL_MANDIR)/man$(PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION)"
 	-$(MAKE) -C man install
 endif
 	for i in $(OTHERLIBRARIES); do \
diff --git a/config/Makefile.mingw b/config/Makefile.mingw
index dde46afa4..984e26b0c 100644
--- a/config/Makefile.mingw
+++ b/config/Makefile.mingw
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ EXT_OBJ=.$(O)
 OUTPUTOBJ=-o
 EXT_LIB=.$(A)
 EXT_ASM=.$(S)
-MANEXT=1
-LIB_MANEXT=3
+PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION=1
+LIBRARIES_MAN_SECTION=3
 HASHBANGSCRIPTS=false
 PTHREAD_LINK=
 PTHREAD_CAML_LINK=
diff --git a/config/Makefile.mingw64 b/config/Makefile.mingw64
index 8ae022850..686714e83 100644
--- a/config/Makefile.mingw64
+++ b/config/Makefile.mingw64
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ EXT_OBJ=.$(O)
 OUTPUTOBJ=-o
 EXT_LIB=.$(A)
 EXT_ASM=.$(S)
-MANEXT=1
-LIB_MANEXT=3
+PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION=1
+LIBRARIES_MAN_SECTION=3
 HASHBANGSCRIPTS=false
 PTHREAD_LINK=
 PTHREAD_CAML_LINK=
diff --git a/config/Makefile.msvc b/config/Makefile.msvc
index b5f0733f4..626b40e1c 100644
--- a/config/Makefile.msvc
+++ b/config/Makefile.msvc
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ EXT_OBJ=.$(O)
 OUTPUTOBJ=-Fo
 EXT_LIB=.$(A)
 EXT_ASM=.$(S)
-MANEXT=1
-LIB_MANEXT=3
+PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION=1
+LIBRARIES_MAN_SECTION=3
 HASHBANGSCRIPTS=false
 PTHREAD_LINK=
 PTHREAD_CAML_LINK=
diff --git a/config/Makefile.msvc64 b/config/Makefile.msvc64
index 30ce66214..a23c1b080 100644
--- a/config/Makefile.msvc64
+++ b/config/Makefile.msvc64
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ EXT_OBJ=.$(O)
 OUTPUTOBJ=-Fo
 EXT_LIB=.$(A)
 EXT_ASM=.$(S)
-MANEXT=1
-LIB_MANEXT=3
+PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION=1
+LIBRARIES_MAN_SECTION=3
 HASHBANGSCRIPTS=false
 PTHREAD_LINK=
 PTHREAD_CAML_LINK=
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 0410bf6fa..551ed7d3b 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ bindir=''
 target_bindir=''
 libdir=''
 mandir=''
-manext=1
-lib_manext=3
+programs_man_section=1
+libraries_man_section=3
 host_type=unknown
 target_type=""
 ccoption=''
@@ -120,10 +120,9 @@ while : ; do
         case "$2" in
           */man[1-9ln])
             mandir=`echo $2 | sed -e 's|^\(.*\)/man.$|\1|'`
-            manext=`echo $2 | sed -e 's/^.*\(.\)$/\1/'`;;
+            programs_man_section=`echo $2 | sed -e 's/^.*\(.\)$/\1/'`;;
           *)
-            mandir=$2
-            manext=1;;
+            mandir=$2;;
         esac
         shift;;
     -libunwinddir|--libunwinddir)
@@ -277,8 +276,8 @@ case "$mandir" in
       mandir="$prefix/man";;
    *) echo "MANDIR=$mandir" >> Makefile;;
 esac
-echo "MANEXT=$manext" >> Makefile
-echo "LIB_MANEXT=$lib_manext" >> Makefile
+echo "PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION=$programs_man_section" >> Makefile
+echo "LIBRARIES_MAN_SECTION=$libraries_man_section" >> Makefile
 
 # Determine the system type
 
@@ -2060,7 +2059,7 @@ inf
 inf "Directories where OCaml will be installed:"
 inf "        binaries.................. $bindir"
 inf "        standard library.......... $libdir"
-inf "        manual pages.............. $mandir (with extension .$manext)"
+inf "        manual pages.............. $mandir (with extension .$programs_man_section)"
 
 inf "Configuration for the bytecode compiler:"
 inf "        C compiler used........... $cc"
diff --git a/man/Makefile b/man/Makefile
index 7008b9513..06e6fa832 100644
--- a/man/Makefile
+++ b/man/Makefile
@@ -15,13 +15,14 @@
 
 include ../config/Makefile
 
-INSTALL_DIR=$(DESTDIR)$(MANDIR)/man$(MANEXT)
+INSTALL_DIR=$(DESTDIR)$(MANDIR)/man$(PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION)
 
 install:
-	for i in *.m; do cp $$i $(INSTALL_DIR)/`basename $$i .m`.$(MANEXT); done
-	echo '.so man$(MANEXT)/ocamlc.$(MANEXT)' \
-	     > $(INSTALL_DIR)/ocamlc.opt.$(MANEXT)
-	echo '.so man$(MANEXT)/ocamlopt.$(MANEXT)' \
-	     > $(INSTALL_DIR)/ocamlopt.opt.$(MANEXT)
-	echo '.so man$(MANEXT)/ocamlcp.$(MANEXT)' \
-	     > $(INSTALL_DIR)/ocamloptp.$(MANEXT)
+	for i in *.m; do cp \
+	  $$i $(INSTALL_DIR)/`basename $$i .m`.$(PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION); done
+	echo '.so man$(PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION)/ocamlc.$(MANEXT)' \
+	     > $(INSTALL_DIR)/ocamlc.opt.$(PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION)
+	echo '.so man$(PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION)/ocamlopt.$(MANEXT)' \
+	     > $(INSTALL_DIR)/ocamlopt.opt.$(PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION)
+	echo '.so man$(PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION)/ocamlcp.$(MANEXT)' \
+	     > $(INSTALL_DIR)/ocamloptp.$(PROGRAMS_MAN_SECTION)