diff --git a/mswin32/Makefile b/mswin32/Makefile
index ad4ba9f69..1a9ab3ce5 100644
--- a/mswin32/Makefile
+++ b/mswin32/Makefile
@@ -7,11 +7,9 @@ LOGLOC=c:nmapbuild.log
 NSE_FILES = scripts/script.db scripts/*.nse
 NMAP_MSWIN32_AUX = ../../nmap-mswin32-aux
 
-winbuild: nmap.rc nsis/Nmap.nsi
+winbuild: nmap.rc nsis/Nmap.nsi LICENSE
 # VCExpress.exe is devenv.com with the commercial Visual Studio suite instead of VC++ Express
 
-	@./license-format/licformat.sh ../COPYING > LICENSE
-
 # MSBUILDDISABLENODEREUSE prevents zombie msbuild.exe processes that
 # break subsequent builds.
 	MSBUILDDISABLENODEREUSE=1 \
@@ -70,6 +68,9 @@ nsis/Nmap.nsi: nsis/Nmap.nsi.in
 	     -e 's/@@VERSION@@/"$(NMAP_VERSION)"/' \
 	     "$<" > "$@"
 
+LICENSE: ../COPYING
+	./license-format/licformat.sh "$<" > "$@"
+
 clean:
 	"$(VCEXPRESS)" nmap.sln /clean
 	rm -rf Debug Release nmapbuild.log nmap.rc nsis/Nmap.nsi