diff --git a/scripts/dtc/pylibfdt/Makefile b/scripts/dtc/pylibfdt/Makefile
index 80b6ad2ae7..4782dd45c6 100644
--- a/scripts/dtc/pylibfdt/Makefile
+++ b/scripts/dtc/pylibfdt/Makefile
@@ -23,12 +23,18 @@ quiet_cmd_pymod = PYMOD   $@
 		SWIG_OPTS="-I$(LIBFDT_srcdir) -I$(LIBFDT_srcdir)/.." \
 		$(PYTHON3) $< --quiet build_ext --inplace
 
-$(obj)/_libfdt.so: $(src)/setup.py $(PYLIBFDT_srcs) FORCE
+rebuild: $(src)/setup.py $(PYLIBFDT_srcs)
 	@# Remove the library since otherwise Python doesn't seem to regenerate
 	@# the libfdt.py file if it is missing.
-	rm -f $(obj)/_libfdt*.so
+	@rm -f $(obj)/_libfdt*.so
 	$(call if_changed,pymod)
+	@# Rename the file to _libfdt.so so this Makefile doesn't run every time
+	@if [ ! -e $(obj)/_libfdt.so ]; then \
+		mv $(obj)/_libfdt*.so $(obj)/_libfdt.so; \
+	fi
 
-always += _libfdt.so
+$(obj)/_libfdt.so $(obj)/libfdt.py &: rebuild
+
+always += _libfdt.so libfdt.py
 
 clean-files += libfdt.i _libfdt.so libfdt.py libfdt_wrap.c