diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 317a8eb1cf..f0a22a5279 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -129,6 +129,12 @@ NOMKDIR:=1
 endif
 endif
 
+.xcompile: util/xcompile/xcompile
+	rm -f $@
+	$< $(XGCCPATH) > $@.tmp
+	\mv -f $@.tmp $@ 2> /dev/null
+	rm -f $@.tmp
+
 -include $(TOPLEVEL)/site-local/Makefile.inc
 
 ifeq ($(NOCOMPILE),1)
@@ -148,12 +154,6 @@ include $(DOTCONFIG)
 # to silence stupid warnings about a file that would be generated anyway.
 $(if $(wildcard .xcompile)$(NOCOMPILE),,$(eval $(shell util/xcompile/xcompile $(XGCCPATH) > .xcompile || rm -f .xcompile)))
 
-.xcompile: util/xcompile/xcompile
-	rm -f $@
-	$< $(XGCCPATH) > $@.tmp
-	\mv -f $@.tmp $@ 2> /dev/null
-	rm -f $@.tmp
-
 -include .xcompile
 
 ifneq ($(XCOMPILE_COMPLETE),1)