diff --git a/perl/Makefile b/perl/Makefile
index f657de20e3..cf2f699362 100644
--- a/perl/Makefile
+++ b/perl/Makefile
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ clean:
 	$(RM) $(makfile).old
 	$(RM) PM.stamp
 
+ifneq (,$(wildcard PM.stamp))
 $(makfile): PM.stamp
+endif
 
 ifdef NO_PERL_MAKEMAKER
 instdir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(prefix)/lib)