diff --git a/scripts/make_links.sh b/scripts/make_links.sh
index 85f7725..e706943 100755
--- a/scripts/make_links.sh
+++ b/scripts/make_links.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 for dotfile in *; do
-    if [ "${dotfile}" != "scripts" ]; then
-        echo "linking ${dotfile}"
-        ln -sf "$(pwd)/${dotfile}" "$HOME/.${dotfile}"
-    fi
+    case "${dotfile}" in
+        scripts|Makefile)
+            # NOOP
+            ;;
+        *)
+            # link the file with a leading dot
+            echo "linking ${dotfile}"
+            ln -sf "$(pwd)/${dotfile}" "$HOME/.${dotfile}"
+            ;;
+    esac
 done