diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index e465eadfa5..01eefcd9f2 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -525,11 +525,11 @@ objdump:
 
 # Generate an XML file containing all macro definitions and include paths for
 # use in Eclipse CDT
-.PHONY: eclipsesym eclipsesym.xml $(CURDIR)/eclipsesym.xml
+.PHONY: eclipsesym eclipsesym.xml
 eclipsesym: $(CURDIR)/eclipsesym.xml
 eclipsesym.xml: $(CURDIR)/eclipsesym.xml
 
-$(CURDIR)/eclipsesym.xml:
+$(CURDIR)/eclipsesym.xml: FORCE
 	$(Q)printf "%s\n" $(CC) $(CFLAGS_WITH_MACROS) $(INCLUDES) | \
 		$(RIOTTOOLS)/eclipsesym/cmdline2xml.sh > $@