diff --git a/browser/locales/Makefile.in b/browser/locales/Makefile.in
index 05c866939fa..04b6d01dc6d 100644
--- a/browser/locales/Makefile.in
+++ b/browser/locales/Makefile.in
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ vpath book%.inc @srcdir@/en-US/profile
 endif
 
 
-run_for_effects_too := if ! test -d $(DIST)/branding; then $(NSINSTALL) -D $(DIST)/branding; fi)
-
 ifdef MOZ_BRANDING_DIRECTORY
 SUBMAKEFILES += \
 	$(DEPTH)/$(MOZ_BRANDING_DIRECTORY)/Makefile \
@@ -104,6 +102,11 @@ include $(topsrcdir)/config/rules.mk
 
 include $(topsrcdir)/toolkit/locales/l10n.mk
 
+$(STAGEDIST): $(DIST)/branding
+
+$(DIST)/branding:
+	$(NSINSTALL) -D $@
+
 libs::
 	@if test -f "$(LOCALE_SRCDIR)/existing-profile-defaults.js"; then \
 	  $(PERL) $(topsrcdir)/config/preprocessor.pl $(PREF_PPFLAGS) $(DEFINES) $(ACDEFINES) $(XULPPFLAGS) \