diff --git a/Makefile.base b/Makefile.base
index 9bd0ebe62daa..c973425b0f1d 100644
--- a/Makefile.base
+++ b/Makefile.base
@@ -118,7 +118,9 @@ OBJECTS_TO_REMOVE = $(filter-out $(OBJ),$(OLD_OBJECTS))
 
 $(MODULE).module compile-commands $(OBJ): | $(BINDIR)/$(MODULE)/
 
-$(MODULE).module: $(OBJ) | $(DIRS:%=ALL--%)
+$(MODULE).module: $(OBJ) $(if $(OBJECTS_TO_REMOVE),$(MODULE).cleanup) | $(DIRS:%=ALL--%)
+
+$(MODULE).cleanup:
 	@# cleanup non selected source files objects
 	@$(RM) $(OBJECTS_TO_REMOVE)