diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.asm-headers b/scripts/Makefile.asm-headers
index 8a4856e74180..b38931314ad7 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.asm-headers
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.asm-headers
@@ -48,14 +48,13 @@ syscall-y   := $(addprefix $(obj)/, $(syscall-y))
 generated-y := $(addprefix $(obj)/, $(generated-y))
 
 # Remove stale wrappers when the corresponding files are removed from generic-y
-old-headers := $(wildcard $(obj)/*.h)
+old-headers := $(shell test -d $(obj) && find $(obj) -name *.h)
 unwanted    := $(filter-out $(generic-y) $(generated-y) $(syscall-y),$(old-headers))
 
-quiet_cmd_wrap = WRAP    $@
-      cmd_wrap = echo "\#include <asm-generic/$*.h>" > $@
+filechk_wrap = echo "\#include <asm-generic/$*.h>"
 
 quiet_cmd_remove = REMOVE  $(unwanted)
-      cmd_remove = rm -f $(unwanted)
+      cmd_remove = rm -f $(unwanted); find $(obj) -type d -empty -delete
 
 quiet_cmd_syshdr = SYSHDR  $@
       cmd_syshdr = $(CONFIG_SHELL) $(syshdr) \
@@ -74,8 +73,8 @@ all: $(generic-y) $(syscall-y)
 	$(if $(unwanted),$(call cmd,remove))
 	@:
 
-$(obj)/%.h: $(srctree)/$(generic)/%.h
-	$(call cmd,wrap)
+$(obj)/%.h: $(srctree)/$(generic)/%.h FORCE
+	$(call filechk,wrap)
 
 $(obj)/unistd_%.h: $(syscalltbl) $(syshdr) FORCE
 	$(call if_changed,syshdr)