diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 261867b..02ea525 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -6,12 +6,9 @@
 
 .PHONY: all clean
 
-userguide.pdf: userguide.tex
+userguide.pdf: userguide/userguide.tex
 	$(tex) $^
 
-userguide.tex: userguide/userguide.tex
-	pandoc -f latex -t latex -s -o $@ $^
-
 userguide/userguide.tex: rest-api.tex host-management.tex console.tex code-update.tex
 
 %.tex: %.md
diff --git a/userguide/userguide.tex b/userguide/userguide.tex
index 5c7287c..85faf26 100644
--- a/userguide/userguide.tex
+++ b/userguide/userguide.tex
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
   urlcolor=blue
 }
 
+% workaround for pandoc / xetex version differences
+\providecommand{\tightlist}{%
+  \setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}\setlength{\parskip}{0pt}}
+
 \begin{document}
 
 \title{OpenBMC User's Guide}