diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 19819a4..0f86db5 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
         * Version 1.2.0 released
         =========================
 
+	Fix removal of Python wrappers after make clean (#1826)
 	Add GModelSpectralPlawEnergyFlux class (#1790)
 	Rename GModelSpectralPlaw2 to GModelSpectralPlawPhotonFlux (#1790)
 
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index bfc4e8d..d057ebd 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ The return value of the following methods has been changed:
 
 3. Configuration
 -----------------
-None
+The Python wrappers were always removed when typing "make clean", even if
+they had been shipped with the code. Now, the Python wrappers are only
+removed in a "make clean" if they have been built (#1826).
 
 
 4. Application module
diff --git a/pyext/Makefile.am b/pyext/Makefile.am
index e6e8b1e..f1e3d92 100755
--- a/pyext/Makefile.am
+++ b/pyext/Makefile.am
@@ -263,12 +263,20 @@ uninstall-local:
 # Set files to be removed in 'make clean'
 CLEANFILES = $(CLEAN_FILES) $(DEPFILES)
 
-# Files to be removed in build directory
+# Files to be removed in build directory. Only remove wrapper files if the
+# have been built or if the were copied in the build directory
 clean-local:
 	rm -rf build
+if BUILD_WRAPPERS
 	rm -rf $(builddir)/gammalib/*.py
-	rm -rf $(builddir)/gammalib/*.pyc
 	rm -rf $(builddir)/gammalib/*_wrap.cpp
+else
+	if test "x$(builddir)" != "x$(srcdir)"; then \
+		rm -rf $(builddir)/gammalib/*.py; \
+		rm -rf $(builddir)/gammalib/*_wrap.cpp; \
+	fi
+endif
+	rm -rf $(builddir)/gammalib/*.pyc
 	rm -rf $(builddir)/gammalib/_*.so
 	rm -rf $(builddir)/gammalib/__pycache__
 
diff --git a/pyext/setup.py.in b/pyext/setup.py.in
index 1b61b8b..8041ed3 100644
--- a/pyext/setup.py.in
+++ b/pyext/setup.py.in
@@ -153,8 +153,10 @@ if '@IS_ELCAPITAN_TRUE@' != '#':
 for module in core_modules:
 
     # In case that wrappers were not built then copy the module wrapper files
-    # from the source to the build directory
-    if '@BUILD_WRAPPERS_FALSE@' != '#' and is_build:
+    # from the source to the build directory. Only do this if the build
+    # directory differs from the source directory
+    if '@BUILD_WRAPPERS_FALSE@' != '#' and is_build and \
+       '@srcdir@' != '@builddir@':
         py_file  = pkg_name+'/'+module+'.py'
         cpp_file = pkg_name+'/'+module+'_wrap.cpp'
         os.system('cp %s %s' % ('@srcdir@/'+cpp_file, '@builddir@/'+cpp_file))
@@ -183,8 +185,10 @@ for module in inst_modules:
     install_files.extend(glob.glob('@top_srcdir@/inst/'+module+'/pyext/*.i'))
 
     # In case that wrappers were not built then copy the module wrapper files
-    # from the source to the build directory
-    if '@BUILD_WRAPPERS_FALSE@' != '#' and is_build:
+    # from the source to the build directory. Only do this if the build
+    # directory differs from the source directory
+    if '@BUILD_WRAPPERS_FALSE@' != '#' and is_build and \
+       '@srcdir@' != '@builddir@':
         py_file  = pkg_name+'/'+module+'.py'
         cpp_file = pkg_name+'/'+module+'_wrap.cpp'
         os.system('cp %s %s' % ('@srcdir@/'+cpp_file, '@builddir@/'+cpp_file))