diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4c95affadb..1a607eff93 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -916,7 +916,6 @@ export PYTHON_PATH
 TEST_SHELL_PATH = $(SHELL_PATH)
 
 LIB_FILE = libgit.a
-XDIFF_LIB = xdiff/lib.a
 REFTABLE_LIB = reftable/libreftable.a
 
 GENERATED_H += command-list.h
@@ -1207,6 +1206,13 @@ LIB_OBJS += write-or-die.o
 LIB_OBJS += ws.o
 LIB_OBJS += wt-status.o
 LIB_OBJS += xdiff-interface.o
+LIB_OBJS += xdiff/xdiffi.o
+LIB_OBJS += xdiff/xemit.o
+LIB_OBJS += xdiff/xhistogram.o
+LIB_OBJS += xdiff/xmerge.o
+LIB_OBJS += xdiff/xpatience.o
+LIB_OBJS += xdiff/xprepare.o
+LIB_OBJS += xdiff/xutils.o
 
 BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin/add.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin/am.o
@@ -1388,8 +1394,8 @@ CLAR_TEST_OBJS += $(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/unit-test.o
 
 UNIT_TEST_OBJS += $(UNIT_TEST_DIR)/test-lib.o
 
-# xdiff and reftable libs may in turn depend on what is in libgit.a
-GITLIBS = common-main.o $(LIB_FILE) $(XDIFF_LIB) $(REFTABLE_LIB) $(LIB_FILE)
+# reftable lib may in turn depend on what is in libgit.a
+GITLIBS = common-main.o $(LIB_FILE) $(REFTABLE_LIB) $(LIB_FILE)
 EXTLIBS =
 
 GIT_USER_AGENT = git/$(GIT_VERSION)
@@ -2721,16 +2727,6 @@ reconfigure config.mak.autogen: config.status
 .PHONY: reconfigure # This is a convenience target.
 endif
 
-XDIFF_OBJS += xdiff/xdiffi.o
-XDIFF_OBJS += xdiff/xemit.o
-XDIFF_OBJS += xdiff/xhistogram.o
-XDIFF_OBJS += xdiff/xmerge.o
-XDIFF_OBJS += xdiff/xpatience.o
-XDIFF_OBJS += xdiff/xprepare.o
-XDIFF_OBJS += xdiff/xutils.o
-.PHONY: xdiff-objs
-xdiff-objs: $(XDIFF_OBJS)
-
 REFTABLE_OBJS += reftable/basics.o
 REFTABLE_OBJS += reftable/error.o
 REFTABLE_OBJS += reftable/block.o
@@ -2765,7 +2761,6 @@ OBJECTS += $(GIT_OBJS)
 OBJECTS += $(SCALAR_OBJS)
 OBJECTS += $(PROGRAM_OBJS)
 OBJECTS += $(TEST_OBJS)
-OBJECTS += $(XDIFF_OBJS)
 OBJECTS += $(FUZZ_OBJS)
 OBJECTS += $(REFTABLE_OBJS) $(REFTABLE_TEST_OBJS)
 OBJECTS += $(UNIT_TEST_OBJS)
@@ -2919,9 +2914,6 @@ scalar$X: scalar.o GIT-LDFLAGS $(GITLIBS)
 $(LIB_FILE): $(LIB_OBJS)
 	$(QUIET_AR)$(RM) $@ && $(AR) $(ARFLAGS) $@ $^
 
-$(XDIFF_LIB): $(XDIFF_OBJS)
-	$(QUIET_AR)$(RM) $@ && $(AR) $(ARFLAGS) $@ $^
-
 $(REFTABLE_LIB): $(REFTABLE_OBJS)
 	$(QUIET_AR)$(RM) $@ && $(AR) $(ARFLAGS) $@ $^
 
@@ -3763,7 +3755,7 @@ clean: profile-clean coverage-clean cocciclean
 	$(RM) git.rc git.res
 	$(RM) $(OBJECTS)
 	$(RM) headless-git.o
-	$(RM) $(LIB_FILE) $(XDIFF_LIB) $(REFTABLE_LIB)
+	$(RM) $(LIB_FILE) $(REFTABLE_LIB)
 	$(RM) $(ALL_PROGRAMS) $(SCRIPT_LIB) $(BUILT_INS) $(OTHER_PROGRAMS)
 	$(RM) $(TEST_PROGRAMS)
 	$(RM) $(FUZZ_PROGRAMS)
@@ -3957,7 +3949,6 @@ endif
 LIBGIT_PUB_OBJS += contrib/libgit-sys/public_symbol_export.o
 LIBGIT_PUB_OBJS += libgit.a
 LIBGIT_PUB_OBJS += reftable/libreftable.a
-LIBGIT_PUB_OBJS += xdiff/lib.a
 
 LIBGIT_PARTIAL_EXPORT = contrib/libgit-sys/partial_symbol_export.o