diff --git a/1988/applin/.gitignore b/1988/applin/.gitignore
index a612d2239..ee1f628c6 100644
--- a/1988/applin/.gitignore
+++ b/1988/applin/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 applin
 large.c
 zsmall
+applin.alt
diff --git a/1988/applin/Makefile b/1988/applin/Makefile
index d95d493bb..67be2771f 100644
--- a/1988/applin/Makefile
+++ b/1988/applin/Makefile
@@ -111,8 +111,8 @@ OBJ= ${PROG}.o
 DATA=
 TARGET= ${PROG}
 #
-ALT_OBJ= zsmall.o
-ALT_TARGET= zsmall
+ALT_OBJ= applin.alt.o
+ALT_TARGET= applin.alt
 
 
 #################
@@ -147,6 +147,10 @@ ${PROG}: ${PROG}.c
 alt: data ${ALT_TARGET}
 	@${TRUE}
 
+${ALT_TARGET}: ${PROG}.alt.c
+	${CP} -f ${PROG}.alt.c zsmall.c
+	${CC} ${CFLAGS} zsmall.c -o $@
+
 # not an official entry
 #
 # The 'zsmall.c' program was obtained from 'applin.c' by reducing its recursion
diff --git a/1988/applin/README.md b/1988/applin/README.md
index a9b7c1f1f..187729cdf 100644
--- a/1988/applin/README.md
+++ b/1988/applin/README.md
@@ -10,12 +10,28 @@ US
 make all
 ```
 
+A smaller version, originally called `zsmall.c`, of [applin.c](applin.c) can be
+found in [applin.alt.c](applin.alt.c).  Your machine may have an easier time
+with this program.  See the Alternate code section below for details.
+
 ## Try:
 
 ```sh
 ./applin
 ```
 
+### Alternate code:
+
+As noted above a smaller version can be used in case your cpp has a hard time
+with this entry. To use:
+
+```sh
+make alt
+```
+
+Use `applin.alt` as you would `applin` above.
+
+
 ## Judges' remarks:
 
 This entry is by far the most unusual abuse of the C preprocessor that
@@ -34,9 +50,6 @@ on the Amdahl 5890-300E.  But due to the ANSI-likeness of GNU cpp (v. 1-21),
 it was not able to cleanly substitute a symbol that began with a '#'.
 Clearly the GNU C preprocessor is faster.
 
-A smaller version of [applin.c](applin.c) can be found in [zsmall.c](zsmall.c).
-Your machine may have an easier time with this program.  See the Makefile for
-details.
 
 ## Author's remarks:
 
diff --git a/1988/applin/zsmall.c b/1988/applin/applin.alt.c
similarity index 100%
rename from 1988/applin/zsmall.c
rename to 1988/applin/applin.alt.c