diff --git a/trace/Makefile.objs b/trace/Makefile.objs
deleted file mode 100644
index a429474618..0000000000
--- a/trace/Makefile.objs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# -*- mode: makefile -*-
-
-
-##################################################
-# Translation level
-
-obj-y += generated-helpers.o
-obj-y += control-target.o
diff --git a/trace/meson.build b/trace/meson.build
index cab36a248b..9c3c128164 100644
--- a/trace/meson.build
+++ b/trace/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+specific_ss.add(files('control-target.c'))
+
 trace_events_files = []
 foreach dir : [ '.' ] + trace_events_subdirs
   trace_events_file = meson.source_root() / dir / 'trace-events'
@@ -61,12 +63,13 @@ foreach d : [
   ['generated-helpers.h', 'tcg-helper-h'],
   ['generated-helpers-wrappers.h', 'tcg-helper-wrapper-h'],
 ]
-  custom_target(d[0],
+  gen = custom_target(d[0],
                 output: d[0],
                 input: meson.source_root() / 'trace-events',
                 command: [ tracetool, '--group=root', '--format=@0@'.format(d[1]), '@INPUT@' ],
                 build_by_default: true, # to be removed when added to a target
                 capture: true)
+  specific_ss.add(gen)
 endforeach
 
 if 'CONFIG_TRACE_UST' in config_host