diff --git a/helpers/make-tcltrf b/helpers/make-tcltrf
index 19df1ac25a1264e5b67a7e00972f4411d3ed7a55..6e1770bab8acffc49b3c46e939fc180f3b5ea22f 100644
--- a/helpers/make-tcltrf
+++ b/helpers/make-tcltrf
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ VERSION=1
 
 # Replace nonfree RIPEMD code with free code, also included in Debian
 # https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=751879
-rm -rf generic/ripemd/*
+rm -f generic/ripemd/*
 cp $DATA/ripemd/* generic/ripemd
 
 changelog "Replace nonfree RIPEMD code"