diff --git a/collects/meta/web/build.rkt b/collects/meta/web/build.rkt
index 958dc4143a..772857faf2 100755
--- a/collects/meta/web/build.rkt
+++ b/collects/meta/web/build.rkt
@@ -74,5 +74,5 @@ exec "$exe" "$0" "$@"
     (render-all)
     (when distribute?
       (printf "Distributing...\n")
-      (distribute distributions))))
+      (distribute (distributions)))))
 (printf "Done.\n")
diff --git a/collects/meta/web/common/distribute.rkt b/collects/meta/web/common/distribute.rkt
index dfaa5c0970..c87c978b26 100644
--- a/collects/meta/web/common/distribute.rkt
+++ b/collects/meta/web/common/distribute.rkt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #lang racket/base
 
-(require racket/system racket/list racket/promise "../config.rkt")
+(require racket/system racket/list racket/promise)
 
 (define rsync-exe (delay (or (find-executable-path "rsync")
                              (error 'distribute "couldn't find `rsync'"))))
diff --git a/collects/meta/web/config.rkt b/collects/meta/web/config.rkt
index e27931b21e..5535e6abd2 100644
--- a/collects/meta/web/config.rkt
+++ b/collects/meta/web/config.rkt
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
 
 (provide distributions)
 (define distributions
-  ;; Each is a "hostname:dest-path", and then a list of directories to
-  ;; put in that path.  (Warning: "dest" should not be a top-level
-  ;; directory that already exists.)
-  '(["champlain:/www" "www" "download" "lists" "stubs"]))
+  (make-parameter
+   ;; Each is a "hostname:dest-path", and then a list of directories to
+   ;; put in that path.  (Warning: "dest" should not be a top-level
+   ;; directory that already exists.)
+   '(["champlain:/www" "www" "download" "lists" "stubs"])))