diff --git a/Makefile.generating b/Makefile.generating
index dcee81e5960783b2e2917f0de76803e320506c1b..53454d1fa4bae88ab04cb02a090cde253df8d03e 100644
--- a/Makefile.generating
+++ b/Makefile.generating
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ $(CONFIG_FILE): $(CONFIG_FILE).in VERSION share/Makefile.config Makefile.generat
 	  -e "s|@OPTDOT@|$(OPTDOT)|" \
           -e "s|@EXE@|$(EXE)|" \
           $< > $@.tmp
-	@touch $< -r $@.tmp
+	@touch -r $@.tmp $<
 	$(REPLACE) $@.tmp $@
 	$(RM) $@.tmp
 	$(CHMOD_RO) $@