diff --git a/lib/py/images/Makefile b/lib/py/images/Makefile
index f7df20f12..d55362dd1 100644
--- a/lib/py/images/Makefile
+++ b/lib/py/images/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-all-y	+= images magic.py pb.py
+all-y	+= images $(obj)/magic.py pb.py
 
 proto := $(filter-out images/rpc.proto, $(sort $(wildcard images/*.proto)))
 proto-py-modules := $(foreach m,$(proto),$(subst -,_,$(notdir $(m:.proto=_pb2))))
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ images:
 	$(Q) protoc -I=images/ -I=/usr/include/ --python_out=$(obj) $(proto)
 .PHONY: images
 
-magic.py: scripts/magic-gen.py criu/include/magic.h
+$(obj)/magic.py: scripts/magic-gen.py criu/include/magic.h
 	$(call msg-gen, $@)
-	$(Q) $(PYTHON) $^ $(obj)/$@
+	$(Q) $(PYTHON) $^ $@
 
 pb.py: images
 	$(Q) echo "# Autogenerated. Do not edit!" > $(obj)/$@