diff --git a/rules.mak b/rules.mak
index 16713bacd7..5d9f684c24 100644
--- a/rules.mak
+++ b/rules.mak
@@ -47,3 +47,6 @@ cc-option = $(if $(shell $(CC) $1 $2 -S -o /dev/null -xc /dev/null \
 %.h-timestamp: %.mak
 	$(call quiet-command, sh $(SRC_PATH)/create_config < $< > $@, "  GEN   $*.h")
 	@cmp $@ $*.h >/dev/null 2>&1 || cp $@ $*.h
+
+# will delete the target of a rule if commands exit with a nonzero exit status
+.DELETE_ON_ERROR: