diff --git a/Makefile.pre.in b/Makefile.pre.in
--- a/Makefile.pre.in
+++ b/Makefile.pre.in
@@ -1194,6 +1194,10 @@
 	etags Include/*.h; \
 	for i in $(SRCDIRS); do etags -a $$i/*.[ch]; done
 
+# Touch generated files
+touch:
+	touch Include/Python-ast.h Python/Python-ast.c
+
 # Sanitation targets -- clean leaves libraries, executables and tags
 # files, which clobber removes as well
 pycremoval: