diff --git a/doc/xml/xmlrules.in b/doc/xml/xmlrules.in
index f828eef87..c455ded89 100644
--- a/doc/xml/xmlrules.in
+++ b/doc/xml/xmlrules.in
@@ -48,19 +48,16 @@ if HAVE_XMLTO
 if HAVE_XMLTO_TEXT
 BUILT_DOC_FILES += $(TXT_FILES)
 .xml.txt:
-	@rm -f $@
 	$(AM_V_GEN)$(XMLTO) $(XMLTO_FLAGS) txt $<
 endif
 
 BUILT_DOC_FILES += $(HTML_FILES)
 .xml.html:
-	@rm -f $@
 	$(AM_V_GEN)$(XMLTO) $(XMLTO_FLAGS) xhtml-nochunks $<
 
 if HAVE_FOP
 BUILT_DOC_FILES += $(PDF_FILES)
 .xml.pdf:
-	@rm -f $@
 	$(AM_V_GEN)$(XMLTO) $(XMLTO_FLAGS) --with-fop pdf $<
 endif