diff --git a/Makefile.pre.in b/Makefile.pre.in
index aa7fa4e29d84c2..8bfdc5d33df30d 100644
--- a/Makefile.pre.in
+++ b/Makefile.pre.in
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ coverage-report: regen-token regen-frozen
 # Run "Argument Clinic" over all source files
 .PHONY: clinic
 clinic: check-clean-src
-	$(PYTHON_FOR_REGEN) $(srcdir)/Tools/clinic/clinic.py --make --exclude Lib/test/clinic.test.c --srcdir $(srcdir)
+	$(PYTHON_FOR_REGEN) $(srcdir)/Tools/clinic/clinic.py -f --make --exclude Lib/test/clinic.test.c --srcdir $(srcdir)
 
 .PHONY: clinic-tests
 clinic-tests: check-clean-src $(srcdir)/Lib/test/clinic.test.c