diff --git a/config/debian/dinstall.functions b/config/debian/dinstall.functions
index 5a691e935dbc42bd008dd2702a2e8c84f8d99c11..b843473f7d8a290afdd1d45fe0f69e8fe7080c8b 100755
--- a/config/debian/dinstall.functions
+++ b/config/debian/dinstall.functions
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ function mkmaintainers() {
 	fi
         cd "${indices}"
 
+        rm -f Maintainers Maintainers.gz Uploaders Uploaders.gz
         dak make-maintainers -a "${archive}" ${scriptdir}/masterfiles/pseudo-packages.maintainers
         gzip -9v --rsyncable  --no-name <Maintainers >Maintainers.gz
         gzip -9v --rsyncable  --no-name <Uploaders >Uploaders.gz