diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index e2a3cc5..b6ec684 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -711,7 +711,7 @@ am__v_PERL_0 = @echo "  PERL    " $@;
 am__v_PERL_1 =
 
 version.h: FORCE
-	$(AM_V_PERL)$(PERL) $(srcdir)/make-version.pl $(srcdir)
+	touch $@
 
 #
 # Build shell scripts by doing variable substitution.