diff --git a/tests/automake.mk b/tests/automake.mk
index 6d383d71b..ca10779f7 100644
--- a/tests/automake.mk
+++ b/tests/automake.mk
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ BUILT_SOURCES += tests/idltest.c tests/idltest.h
 noinst_DATA += tests/idltest.ovsschema
 DISTCLEANFILES += tests/idltest.ovsschema
 tests/idltest.c tests/idltest.h tests/idltest.ovsschema: ovsdb/ovsdb-idlc.in
+tests/idltest.c: tests/idltest.h
 EXTRA_DIST += tests/idltest.c tests/idltest.h tests/idltest.ovsschema
 
 noinst_PROGRAMS += tests/test-reconnect
diff --git a/vswitchd/automake.mk b/vswitchd/automake.mk
index e7942df7e..d26092062 100644
--- a/vswitchd/automake.mk
+++ b/vswitchd/automake.mk
@@ -40,4 +40,5 @@ noinst_DATA += vswitchd/vswitch-idl.ovsschema
 DISTCLEANFILES += vswitchd/vswitch-idl.ovsschema
 vswitchd/vswitch-idl.c vswitchd/vswitch-idl.h vswitchd/vswitch-idl.ovsschema: \
 	ovsdb/ovsdb-idlc.in
+vswitchd/vswitch-idl.c: vswitchd/vswitch-idl.h
 EXTRA_DIST += vswitchd/vswitch-idl.c vswitchd/vswitch-idl.h vswitchd/vswitch-idl.ovsschema