diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index bacfc4df3b..802da75385 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ Setup
 *.o
 tmp
 test
-build-stamp
 Build/SysConfig.hs
 Build/InstallDesktopFile
 Build/EvilSplicer
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ddc56e3f88..aac9a3a5e6 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -12,9 +12,7 @@ ifdef VIM
 all=fast
 endif
 
-build: build-stamp
-build-stamp: $(all)
-	touch $@
+build: $(all)
 
 Build/SysConfig.hs: configure.hs Build/TestConfig.hs Build/Configure.hs
 	if [ "$(CABAL)" = ./Setup ]; then ghc --make Setup; fi
@@ -87,7 +85,7 @@ docs: mans
 
 clean:
 	rm -rf tmp dist git-annex $(mans) configure  *.tix .hpc \
-		doc/.ikiwiki html dist tags Build/SysConfig.hs build-stamp \
+		doc/.ikiwiki html dist tags Build/SysConfig.hs \
 		Setup Build/InstallDesktopFile Build/EvilSplicer \
 		Build/Standalone Build/OSXMkLibs Build/LinuxMkLibs \
 		Build/DistributionUpdate Build/BuildVersion \
@@ -264,4 +262,4 @@ distributionupdate:
 	ghc -Wall --make Build/DistributionUpdate -XPackageImports -optP-include -optPdist/build/autogen/cabal_macros.h
 	./Build/DistributionUpdate
 
-.PHONY: git-annex git-union-merge git-recover-repository tags build-stamp
+.PHONY: git-annex git-union-merge tags