diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 37073d23a38..0b891a771a0 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -5008,6 +5008,7 @@ tests += \
 	test-libsystemd-id128-sym
 endif
 
+.PHONY: cppcheck
 cppcheck:
 	cppcheck --enable=all -q $(top_srcdir)