diff --git a/cmake/mrc-config.cmake b/cmake/mrc-config.cmake
index 4cb5206..b207185 100644
--- a/cmake/mrc-config.cmake
+++ b/cmake/mrc-config.cmake
@@ -222,14 +222,16 @@ function(mrc_target_resources _target)
 	# If we can use DEPFILE, use it.
 	if(${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL "3.21")
 		add_custom_target(
-			OUTPUT ${RSRC_DEP_FILE}
-			COMMAND ${MRC_EXECUTABLE} -d ${RSRC_DEP_FILE}
+			"generate_${_target}_depends_file"
+			BYPRODUCTS ${RSRC_DEP_FILE}
+			COMMENT "Generating depends file for ${_target} resources"
+			COMMAND ${MRC_EXECUTABLE} -d ${RSRC_DEP_FILE} -o ${RSRC_FILE}
 			${MRC_OPTION_RESOURCES}
 			VERBATIM)
 
 		add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${RSRC_FILE}
 			DEPFILE ${RSRC_DEP_FILE}
-			DEPENDS ${RSRC_DEP_FILE}
+			DEPENDS "generate_${_target}_depends_file"
 			COMMAND ${MRC_EXECUTABLE} -o ${RSRC_FILE} ${OPTIONS}
 			${MRC_OPTION_RESOURCES}
 			VERBATIM)
diff --git a/src/mrc.cpp b/src/mrc.cpp
index 24c393a..a60b1f0 100644
--- a/src/mrc.cpp
+++ b/src/mrc.cpp
@@ -1149,8 +1149,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		exit(0);
 	}
 
-	if (config.has("help") or config.operands().empty() or
-		not (config.has("output") or config.has("depends")))
+	if (config.has("help") or config.operands().empty() or not config.has("output"))
 	{
 		std::cout << config << std::endl;
 		exit(config.has("help") ? 0 : 1);
@@ -1202,9 +1201,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		exit(0);
 	}
 
-	if (not config.has("output"))
-		return 0;
-
 	// --------------------------------------------------------------------
 	// find out the required ELF format.