diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d861bd9985..a2a1212504 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1816,7 +1816,7 @@ $(SCRIPT_LIB) : % : %.sh GIT-SCRIPT-DEFINES
 git.res: git.rc GIT-VERSION-FILE
 	$(QUIET_RC)$(RC) \
 	  $(join -DMAJOR= -DMINOR=, $(wordlist 1,2,$(subst -, ,$(subst ., ,$(GIT_VERSION))))) \
-	  -DGIT_VERSION="\\\"$(GIT_VERSION)\\\"" $< -o $@
+	  -DGIT_VERSION="\\\"$(GIT_VERSION)\\\"" -i $< -o $@
 
 # This makes sure we depend on the NO_PERL setting itself.
 $(SCRIPT_PERL_GEN): GIT-BUILD-OPTIONS