diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
index dd7b757ded..ab02ca925a 100644
--- a/common.mk
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -1371,12 +1371,14 @@ touch-unicode-files:
 	$(MAKEDIRS) $(UNICODE_SRC_DATA_DIR)
 	touch $(UNICODE_SRC_DATA_DIR)/.unicode-tables.time $(UNICODE_DATA_HEADERS)
 
+UNICODE_TABLES_TIMESTAMP = yes
 $(UNICODE_SRC_DATA_DIR)/.unicode-tables.time: $(srcdir)/tool/generic_erb.rb \
 		$(srcdir)/template/unicode_norm_gen.tmpl \
 		$(ALWAYS_UPDATE_UNICODE:yes=update-unicode)
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) $(@D)
 	$(Q) $(BASERUBY) $(srcdir)/tool/generic_erb.rb \
-		-c -t$@ -o $(srcdir)/lib/unicode_normalize/tables.rb \
+		-c $(UNICODE_TABLES_TIMESTAMP:yes=-t$@) \
+                -o $(srcdir)/lib/unicode_normalize/tables.rb \
 		-I $(srcdir) \
 		$(srcdir)/template/unicode_norm_gen.tmpl \
 		$(UNICODE_DATA_DIR) lib/unicode_normalize
diff --git a/defs/gmake.mk b/defs/gmake.mk
index eb9e35a446..496c5fe1fa 100644
--- a/defs/gmake.mk
+++ b/defs/gmake.mk
@@ -185,8 +185,13 @@ $(MJIT_MIN_HEADER): $(mjit_min_headers) $(PREP)
 
 endif
 
-ifneq ($(wildcard $(UNICODE_FILES) $(UNICODE_PROPERTY_FILES)),)
+ifeq ($(if $(wildcard $(UNICODE_FILES) $(UNICODE_PROPERTY_FILES)),,\
+	   $(wildcard $(srcdir)/lib/unicode_normalize/tables.rb)),)
+# Needs the dependency when any Unicode data file exists, or
+# normalization tables script doesn't.  Otherwise, when the target
+# only exists, use it as-is.
 .PHONY: $(UNICODE_SRC_DATA_DIR)/.unicode-tables.time
+UNICODE_TABLES_TIMESTAMP =
 $(UNICODE_SRC_DATA_DIR)/.unicode-tables.time: \
 	$(UNICODE_FILES) $(UNICODE_PROPERTY_FILES)
 endif