diff --git a/client/Makefile b/client/Makefile
index 33810b09b..79943d8fa 100644
--- a/client/Makefile
+++ b/client/Makefile
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ zlib:
 # version.c should be remade on every compilation
 src/version.c: default_version.c
 	$(info [=] GEN $@)
-	$(Q)$(SH) ../tools/mkversion.sh > $@ || $(PERL) ../tools/mkversion.pl > $@
+	$(Q)$(SH) ../tools/mkversion.sh > $@ || $(PERL) ../tools/mkversion.pl > $@ || $(CP) $^ $@
 
 # easy printing of MAKE VARIABLES
 print-%: ; @echo $* = $($*)