diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
index 3cdea3d588..da9cab3c11 100644
--- a/common.mk
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -984,6 +984,9 @@ id.c: $(srcdir)/tool/generic_erb.rb $(srcdir)/template/id.c.tmpl $(srcdir)/defs/
 	$(Q) $(BASERUBY) $(srcdir)/tool/generic_erb.rb --output=$@ \
 		$(srcdir)/template/id.c.tmpl
 
+{$(VPATH)}node.h: $(srcdir)/tool/node_name.rb
+# This dependency is not really correct, but $? should not include
+# node_name.rb in the following recipe.
 node_name.inc: {$(VPATH)}node.h
 	$(ECHO) generating $@
 	$(Q) $(BASERUBY) -n $(srcdir)/tool/node_name.rb < $? > $@