diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
index 4f08bc2763..25050599f8 100755
--- a/common.mk
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -1091,8 +1091,11 @@ $(srcdir)/revision.h:
 	$(Q)$(gnumake:yes=#) $(RM) $(@F)
 	$(Q)$(gnumake:yes=#) exit > $@ || exit > $(@F)
 
-$(REVISION_H): $(srcdir)/version.h $(srcdir)/tool/file2lastrev.rb $(REVISION_FORCE)
-	-$(Q) $(BASERUBY) $(srcdir)/tool/file2lastrev.rb -q --revision.h "$(srcdir)" > revision.tmp
+revision.tmp: $(srcdir)/version.h $(srcdir)/tool/file2lastrev.rb $(REVISION_FORCE)
+revision$(HAVE_BASERUBY:yes=.tmp): $(srcdir)/version.h $(srcdir)/tool/file2lastrev.rb $(REVISION_FORCE)
+	$(Q) $(BASERUBY) $(srcdir)/tool/file2lastrev.rb -q --revision.h "$(srcdir)" > revision.tmp
+
+$(REVISION_H): revision.tmp
 	$(Q)$(IFCHANGE) "--timestamp=$@" "$(srcdir)/revision.h" revision.tmp
 
 $(srcdir)/ext/ripper/ripper.c: $(srcdir)/ext/ripper/tools/preproc.rb $(srcdir)/parse.y id.h