diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index c249299c3..950c5bf92 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -36,13 +36,16 @@ $(STAMPS_DIR)/build-base: $(BUILD_DIR) $(STAMPS_DIR) $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup-base
 $(BUILD_DIR) $(STAMPS_DIR):
 	@[ -d $@ ] || mkdir $@
 
-orig: ../orig/linux-$(MAJOR)-$(VERSION)
-	rsync --delete --exclude debian --exclude .svn --link-dest=../orig/linux-$(MAJOR)-$(VERSION)/ -a ../orig/linux-$(MAJOR)-$(VERSION)/ .
+DIR_ORIG = ../orig/linux-$(MAJOR)-$(VERSION)
+TAR_ORIG = ../linux-$(MAJOR)_$(VERSION).orig.tar.gz
 
-../orig/linux-$(MAJOR)-$(VERSION):
-	if [ -f "../linux-$(MAJOR)_$(VERSION).orig.tar.gz" ]; then \
+orig: $(DIR_ORIG)
+	rsync --delete --exclude debian --exclude .svn --link-dest=$(DIR_ORIG)/ -a $(DIR_ORIG)/ .
+
+$(DIR_ORIG):
+	if [ -f $(TAR_ORIG) ]; then \
 		mkdir -p ../orig; \
-		tar -C ../orig -xzf ../linux-$(MAJOR)_$(VERSION).orig.tar.gz; \
+		tar -C ../orig -xzf $(TAR_ORIG); \
 	else \
 		echo "Can't find orig tarball." >&2; \
 		exit 1; \