diff --git a/arch/x86/realmode/Makefile b/arch/x86/realmode/Makefile
index f22a4f8d99d..a05b3aca64a 100644
--- a/arch/x86/realmode/Makefile
+++ b/arch/x86/realmode/Makefile
@@ -11,10 +11,7 @@ subdir- := rm
 
 obj-y += rmpiggy.o
 
-$(obj)/rmpiggy.o: $(obj)/rm/realmode.relocs $(obj)/rm/realmode.bin
+$(obj)/rmpiggy.o: $(obj)/rm/realmode.bin
 
 $(obj)/rm/realmode.bin: FORCE
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(obj)/rm $@
-
-$(obj)/rm/realmode.relocs: FORCE
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(obj)/rm $@
diff --git a/arch/x86/realmode/rm/Makefile b/arch/x86/realmode/rm/Makefile
index de40bc44b92..1c1d3d3bbee 100644
--- a/arch/x86/realmode/rm/Makefile
+++ b/arch/x86/realmode/rm/Makefile
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ $(obj)/realmode.elf: $(obj)/realmode.lds $(REALMODE_OBJS) FORCE
 
 OBJCOPYFLAGS_realmode.bin := -O binary
 
-$(obj)/realmode.bin: $(obj)/realmode.elf
+$(obj)/realmode.bin: $(obj)/realmode.elf $(obj)/realmode.relocs
 	$(call if_changed,objcopy)
 
 quiet_cmd_relocs = RELOCS  $@