diff --git a/Makefile.local b/Makefile.local
index d7cc9edc..aa822f6a 100644
--- a/Makefile.local
+++ b/Makefile.local
@@ -12,10 +12,6 @@ Makefile.config: configure
 	@echo ""
 	./configure
 
-SONAME = libnotmuch.so.1
-WARN_CXXFLAGS=-Wall -Wextra -Wwrite-strings -Wswitch-enum
-WARN_CFLAGS=$(WARN_CXXFLAGS) -Wmissing-declarations
-
 # Sub-directory Makefile.local fragments can append to these variables
 # to have directory-specific cflags as necessary.
 extra_cflags :=
@@ -26,15 +22,6 @@ FINAL_CFLAGS = $(CFLAGS) $(WARN_CFLAGS) $(CONFIGURE_CFLAGS) $(extra_cflags)
 FINAL_CXXFLAGS = $(CXXFLAGS) $(WARN_CXXFLAGS) $(CONFIGURE_CXXFLAGS) $(extra_cflags) $(extra_cxxflags)
 FINAL_LDFLAGS = $(LDFLAGS) $(CONFIGURE_LDFLAGS)
 
-# Additional programs that are used during the compilation process.
-EMACS ?= emacs --quick
-# Lowercase to avoid clash with GZIP environment variable for passing
-# arguments to gzip.
-gzip = gzip
-
-bash_completion_dir = /etc/bash_completion.d
-zsh_completion_dir = /usr/share/zsh/functions/Completion/Unix
-
 all: notmuch notmuch.1.gz
 ifeq ($(MAKECMDGOALS),)
 	@echo ""
@@ -117,6 +104,8 @@ notmuch: $(notmuch_client_modules) lib/libnotmuch.so
 notmuch.1.gz: notmuch.1
 	$(call quiet,gzip) --stdout $^ > $@
 
+SONAME = libnotmuch.so.1
+
 install: all notmuch.1.gz
 	for d in $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/bin/ $(DESTDIR)$(libdir)/ \
 		$(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/include/ $(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/share/man/man1 ; \
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 5d254b3d..64038f87 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ CFLAGS=${CFLAGS:--O2}
 CXXFLAGS=${CXXFLAGS:-\$(CFLAGS)}
 XAPIAN_CONFIG=${XAPIAN_CONFIG:-xapian-config-1.1 xapian-config}
 
+# We don't allow the EMACS or GZIP Makefile variables inherit values
+# from the environment as we do with CC and CXX above. The reason is
+# that these names as environment variables have existing uses other
+# than the program name that we want. (EMACS is set to 't' when a
+# shell is running within emacs and GZIP specifies arguments to pass
+# on the gzip command line).
+
 # Set the defaults for values the user can specify with command-line
 # options.
 PREFIX=/usr/local
@@ -269,12 +276,24 @@ CC = ${CC}
 # The C++ compiler to use
 CXX = ${CXX}
 
+# Command to execute emacs from Makefiles
+EMACS = emacs --quick
+
+# Command to execute gzip from Makefiles
+gzip = gzip
+
 # Default FLAGS for C compiler (can be overridden by user such as "make CFLAGS=-g")
 CFLAGS = ${CFLAGS}
 
 # Default FLAGS for C++ compiler (can be overridden by user such as "make CXXFLAGS=-g")
 CXXFLAGS = ${CXXFLAGS}
 
+# Flags to enable warnings when using the C++ compiler
+WARN_CXXFLAGS=-Wall -Wextra -Wwrite-strings -Wswitch-enum
+
+# Flags to enable warnings when using the C compiler
+WARN_CFLAGS=\$(WARN_CXXFLAGS) -Wmissing-declarations
+
 # The prefix to which notmuch should be installed
 prefix = ${PREFIX}
 
@@ -287,6 +306,12 @@ emacs_lispdir=${emacs_lispdir}
 # The directory to which desktop files should be installed
 desktop_dir = \${prefix}/share/applications
 
+# The directory to which bash completions files should be installed
+bash_completion_dir = /etc/bash_completion.d
+
+# The directory to which zsh completions files should be installed
+zsh_completion_dir = ${PREFIX}/share/zsh/functions/Completion/Unix
+
 # Whether the getline function is available (if not, then notmuch will
 # build its own version)
 HAVE_GETLINE = ${have_getline}