diff --git a/ghc/utils/genprimopcode/Makefile b/ghc/utils/genprimopcode/Makefile
index 50c363b2aa84151d1e162da47be2cd468728d0b4..ee1d6735b8392ba69678d8841a6610f4a8cbdf4e 100644
--- a/ghc/utils/genprimopcode/Makefile
+++ b/ghc/utils/genprimopcode/Makefile
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ OBJS = Main.o
 
 CLEAN_FILES += genprimopcode
 
+# genprimopcode is needed to boot in ghc/compiler...
+boot :: all
+
 all :: genprimopcode
 
 genprimopcode: Main.o