diff --git a/Make.mk b/Make.mk
index f546c37c..d2445189 100644
--- a/Make.mk
+++ b/Make.mk
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ subjects.html := $(addprefix info.html/, $(addsuffix .html, $(subjects)))
 topics.html := $(addprefix info.html/, $(addsuffix .html, $(topics)))
 scripts := $(srcdir)/src/scripts
 depcomp := $(SHELL) $(srcdir)/depcomp
-tarball := $(SHELL) $(scripts)/tarball
+tarball := $(SHELL) -e $(scripts)/tarball
 econfig := $(sysconfdir)/empire/econfig
 schedule := $(sysconfdir)/empire/schedule
 gamedir := $(localstatedir)/empire