diff --git a/src/lib/spinel/Makefile.am b/src/lib/spinel/Makefile.am
index 3823aff69..2dfc49eed 100644
--- a/src/lib/spinel/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/lib/spinel/Makefile.am
@@ -59,10 +59,16 @@ COMMON_SOURCES                                    = \
     spinel_encoder.cpp                              \
     $(NULL)
 
-include_HEADERS                                   = \
+ot_spinel_headers                                 = \
     spinel.h                                        \
     $(NULL)
 
+ot_spineldir = $(includedir)/spinel
+dist_ot_spinel_HEADERS = $(ot_spinel_headers)
+
+include_HEADERS                                   = \
+    $(NULL)
+
 noinst_HEADERS                                    = \
     spinel_buffer.hpp                               \
     spinel_decoder.hpp                              \