diff --git a/mach/ns/libcc/compmodule b/mach/ns/libcc/compmodule
index 6b9643943..846ba6f1e 100755
--- a/mach/ns/libcc/compmodule
+++ b/mach/ns/libcc/compmodule
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 if ${MACH?ack} -I../../../h ${MACHFL?} $1 1>&2
 then echo `basename $1 $2`.o
-else rm -f `basename $1 $2`.o
+else exit 1
 fi