diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index faf5041d..7a297572 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ $(2)_lib_libarg     := $$(patsubst %, -l%, $$($(2)_lib_libs))
 $(2)_lib_libnames_shared	:= $$(if $$($(2)_install_shared_lib),lib$(1).so,)
 
 lib$(1).a : $$($(2)_objs) $$($(2)_c_objs)
+	rm -f $$@
 	$(AR) rcs $$@ $$^
 lib$(1).so : $$($(2)_objs) $$($(2)_c_objs) $$($(2)_lib_libnames_shared) $$($(2)_lib_libnames)
 	$(LINK) -shared -o $$@ $(if $(filter Darwin,$(shell uname -s)),-install_name $(install_libs_dir)/$$@) $$^ $$($(2)_lib_libnames) $(LIBS)