diff --git a/samples/bpf/Makefile b/samples/bpf/Makefile
index 8c5311d776804939e5a6d4ef2bce35ebb14a5ff3..4c5ad15f8d288207d230c0fec6b237f9e323a3ef 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/Makefile
+++ b/samples/bpf/Makefile
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ clean:
 	@find $(CURDIR) -type f -name '*~' -delete
 	@$(RM) -r $(CURDIR)/libbpf $(CURDIR)/bpftool
 
-$(LIBBPF): FORCE | $(LIBBPF_OUTPUT)
+$(LIBBPF): $(wildcard $(LIBBPF_SRC)/*.[ch] $(LIBBPF_SRC)/Makefile) | $(LIBBPF_OUTPUT)
 # Fix up variables inherited from Kbuild that tools/ build system won't like
 	$(MAKE) -C $(LIBBPF_SRC) RM='rm -rf' EXTRA_CFLAGS="$(TPROGS_CFLAGS)" \
 		LDFLAGS=$(TPROGS_LDFLAGS) srctree=$(BPF_SAMPLES_PATH)/../../ \