diff --git a/tools/console/Makefile b/tools/console/Makefile
index 77e8f299c0..cd8f5edc7f 100644
--- a/tools/console/Makefile
+++ b/tools/console/Makefile
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ distclean: clean
 xenconsoled: $(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(wildcard daemon/*.c))
 	$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $^ -o $@ $(LDLIBS) $(LDLIBS_xenconsoled) $(APPEND_LDFLAGS)
 
-xenconsole: client/_paths.h $(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(wildcard client/*.c))
+client/main.o: client/_paths.h
+xenconsole: $(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(wildcard client/*.c))
 	$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $^ -o $@ $(LDLIBS) $(LDLIBS_xenconsole) $(APPEND_LDFLAGS)
 
 genpath-target = $(call buildmakevars2header,client/_paths.h)