diff --git a/site_ansto/Makefile b/site_ansto/Makefile
index 23607837..d77b10e2 100644
--- a/site_ansto/Makefile
+++ b/site_ansto/Makefile
@@ -106,10 +106,14 @@ endif
 SICS_SITE = $(shell bash extract_version.sh SITE)
 SICS_VERSION = $(shell bash extract_version.sh VERSION)
 SICS_REVISION = $(shell bash extract_version.sh REVISION)
-$(shell touch site_ansto.c)
 $(info Site text is "${SICS_SITE}")
 $(info Version text is "${SICS_VERSION}")
 $(info Revision text is "${SICS_REVISION}")
+
+ifneq (,$(wildcard site_ansto.o))
+  $(info Removing site_ansto.o to force recompile)
+  $(shell rm -f site_ansto.o)
+endif
 #
 DEBUGFLAGS = -Wall -Wextra -Wno-unused -Wno-comment -Wno-switch
 CFLAGS = -g -std=gnu99