diff --git a/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile b/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile
index a38e8fb5601f8f00497f342ee3e58dedec9062fe..1d08ffa7595646230c91459f41a61a834331a254 100644
--- a/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile
+++ b/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile
@@ -1025,11 +1025,10 @@ ${DEPFILE}: ${LIBOBJS} $(USERMAKEFILE)
 	$(RM) $@
 	@echo "# Generated file. Do not edit." > $@
 # Check dependencies on other module headers.
-	cat *.d 2>/dev/null | sed 's/ /\n/g' | sed -n '$(DEP_PARSER)' | grep -v "include" | sort -u >> $@
-ifneq ($(strip ${REQ}),)
+	cat *.d 2>/dev/null | sed 's/ /\n/g' | grep -v '$(EPICS_BASE)/include' | sed -n '$(DEP_PARSER)' >> $@.tmp
 # Manully added dependencies: ${REQ}
-	@$(foreach m,${REQ},echo "$m $(or $(call FETCH_BUILD_NUMBER,$(E3_SITEMODS_PATH),$m),$(and $(wildcard ${E3_SITEMODS_PATH}/$m),$(error REQUIRED module $m has no numbered version. Set $m_VERSION)),$(warning REQUIRED module $m not found for ${T_A}.))" >> $@;)
-endif
+	@$(foreach m,${REQ},echo "$m $(or $(call FETCH_BUILD_NUMBER,$(E3_SITEMODS_PATH),$m),$(and $(wildcard ${E3_SITEMODS_PATH}/$m),$(error REQUIRED module $m has no numbered version. Set $m_VERSION)),$(warning REQUIRED module $m not found for ${T_A}.))" >> $@.tmp;)
+	cat $@.tmp | sort -u >> $@
 
 # Remove MakefileInclude after we are done because it interfers with our way to build.
 build: