diff --git a/esy/build.sh b/esy/build.sh
index e66f9e5e..6809d006 100755
--- a/esy/build.sh
+++ b/esy/build.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ touch config.h.in
 # since those are dependent on header files
 touch src/*.hh
 touch src/hb-version.h
+touch src/harfbuzz.cc
 
 # OS_WIN32 invokes a python def file generator for MVSC linking,
 # which we don't need (it's implied by host - mingw)