diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 14eab14b830..aec17f0895d 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ LIBRARY=	libpython$(VERSION).a
 all:		$(LIBRARY) python sharedmods
 
 # Build the interpreter
-python:		$(LIBRARY) buildno
+python:		$(LIBRARY) buildno Modules/python.o
 		expr `cat buildno` + 1 >buildno1
 		mv -f buildno1 buildno
 		$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) -DBUILD=`cat buildno` \
@@ -178,6 +178,9 @@ python:		$(LIBRARY) buildno
 			prefix="$(prefix)" exec_prefix="$(exec_prefix)" \
 			LIBRARY=../$(LIBRARY) link
 
+Modules/python.o: $(srcdir)/Modules/python.c
+		cd Modules; $(MAKE) OPT="$(OPT)" python.o
+
 buildno:
 		echo 0 >buildno