diff --git a/controllers/nginx/Makefile b/controllers/nginx/Makefile
index ac1300eb4d..0587605828 100644
--- a/controllers/nginx/Makefile
+++ b/controllers/nginx/Makefile
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ build: clean
 		-ldflags "-s -w -X ${PKG}/pkg/version.RELEASE=${RELEASE} -X ${PKG}/pkg/version.COMMIT=${COMMIT} -X ${PKG}/pkg/version.REPO=${REPO_INFO}" \
 		-o rootfs/nginx-ingress-controller ${PKG}/pkg/cmd/controller
 
-container:
+container: build
 	$(DOCKER) build --pull -t $(PREFIX):$(RELEASE) rootfs
 
 push: container
@@ -50,4 +50,4 @@ vet:
 	@go vet $(shell go list ${PKG}/... | grep -v vendor)
 
 clean:
-	rm -f nginx-ingress-controller
+	rm -f rootfs/nginx-ingress-controller