diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
index 462f1945fb..26b488f57f 100644
--- a/common.mk
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -298,10 +298,12 @@ $(TOP_SMEMS_CONF) $(MODEL_SMEMS_CONF) &:  $(MFC_SMEMS_CONF) $(MFC_MODEL_HRCHY_JS
 TOP_MACROCOMPILER_MODE ?= --mode synflops
 $(TOP_SMEMS_FILE) $(TOP_SMEMS_FIR) &: $(TAPEOUT_CLASSPATH_TARGETS) $(TOP_SMEMS_CONF)
 	$(call run_jar_scala_main,$(TAPEOUT_CLASSPATH),barstools.macros.MacroCompiler,-n $(TOP_SMEMS_CONF) -v $(TOP_SMEMS_FILE) -f $(TOP_SMEMS_FIR) $(TOP_MACROCOMPILER_MODE))
+	touch $(TOP_SMEMS_FILE) $(TOP_SMEMS_FIR)
 
 MODEL_MACROCOMPILER_MODE = --mode synflops
-$(MODEL_SMEMS_FILE) $(MODEL_SMEMS_FIR) &: $(TAPEOUT_CLASSPATH_TARGETS) $(MODEL_SMEMS_CONF) | $(TOP_SMEMS_FILE)
+$(MODEL_SMEMS_FILE) $(MODEL_SMEMS_FIR) &: $(TAPEOUT_CLASSPATH_TARGETS) $(MODEL_SMEMS_CONF)
 	$(call run_jar_scala_main,$(TAPEOUT_CLASSPATH),barstools.macros.MacroCompiler, -n $(MODEL_SMEMS_CONF) -v $(MODEL_SMEMS_FILE) -f $(MODEL_SMEMS_FIR) $(MODEL_MACROCOMPILER_MODE))
+	touch $(MODEL_SMEMS_FILE) $(MODEL_SMEMS_FIR)
 
 ########################################################################################
 # remove duplicate files and headers in list of simulation file inputs
diff --git a/scripts/split-mems-conf.py b/scripts/split-mems-conf.py
index f772060e99..351bb7b264 100755
--- a/scripts/split-mems-conf.py
+++ b/scripts/split-mems-conf.py
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ def bfs_collect_submodules(tree):
 
     with open(args.out_dut_smems_conf, "w") as odsc, \
          open(args.out_model_smems_conf, "w") as otsc:
+      os.utime(args.out_dut_smems_conf)
+      os.utime(args.out_model_smems_conf)
       for l in isc:
         sl = l.split()