diff --git a/emul/Makefile b/emul/Makefile
index b762ba5..0563116 100644
--- a/emul/Makefile
+++ b/emul/Makefile
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ $(BIN2C): $(BLKPACK)
 $(BLKUNPACK): $(BLKPACK)
 
 # not dependent on forth.bin to avoid circular deps.
-forth-bin.h: $(BIN2C) forth.bin
+forth-bin.h: $(BIN2C)
 	$(BIN2C) KERNEL < forth.bin > $@
 
 stage: stage.c $(OBJS) forth-bin.h blkfs-bin.h