diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 157293b555..20a0fe6e88 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2594,10 +2594,10 @@ $(REMOTE_CURL_PRIMARY): remote-curl.o http.o http-walker.o GIT-LDFLAGS $(GITLIBS
 		$(CURL_LIBCURL) $(EXPAT_LIBEXPAT) $(LIBS)
 
 $(LIB_FILE): $(LIB_OBJS)
-	$(QUIET_AR)$(AR) $(ARFLAGS) $@ $^
+	$(QUIET_AR)$(RM) $@ && $(AR) $(ARFLAGS) $@ $^
 
 $(XDIFF_LIB): $(XDIFF_OBJS)
-	$(QUIET_AR)$(AR) $(ARFLAGS) $@ $^
+	$(QUIET_AR)$(RM) $@ && $(AR) $(ARFLAGS) $@ $^
 
 export DEFAULT_EDITOR DEFAULT_PAGER