diff --git a/ui/build/build.go b/ui/build/build.go
index f3feac2be..112273345 100644
--- a/ui/build/build.go
+++ b/ui/build/build.go
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ builddir = {{.OutDir}}
 {{end -}}
 pool highmem_pool
  depth = {{.HighmemParallel}}
-build _kati_always_build_: phony
 {{if .HasKatiSuffix}}subninja {{.KatiBuildNinjaFile}}
 subninja {{.KatiPackageNinjaFile}}
 {{end -}}
diff --git a/ui/build/kati.go b/ui/build/kati.go
index 8796a4f05..2eb785032 100644
--- a/ui/build/kati.go
+++ b/ui/build/kati.go
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ func runKati(ctx Context, config Config, extraSuffix string, args []string, envF
 		"--ninja_dir=" + config.OutDir(),
 		"--ninja_suffix=" + config.KatiSuffix() + extraSuffix,
 		"--no_ninja_prelude",
+		"--use_ninja_phony_output",
 		"--regen",
 		"--ignore_optional_include=" + filepath.Join(config.OutDir(), "%.P"),
 		"--detect_android_echo",
diff --git a/ui/build/ninja.go b/ui/build/ninja.go
index dfc3be1f3..1b13e5d36 100644
--- a/ui/build/ninja.go
+++ b/ui/build/ninja.go
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ func runNinja(ctx Context, config Config) {
 	args = append(args, "-f", config.CombinedNinjaFile())
 
 	args = append(args,
+		"-o", "usesphonyoutputs=yes",
 		"-w", "dupbuild=err",
 		"-w", "missingdepfile=err")
 
diff --git a/ui/build/soong.go b/ui/build/soong.go
index 9b8d648ea..2fbf381b6 100644
--- a/ui/build/soong.go
+++ b/ui/build/soong.go
@@ -119,7 +119,11 @@ func runSoong(ctx Context, config Config) {
 		cmd := Command(ctx, config, "soong "+name,
 			config.PrebuiltBuildTool("ninja"),
 			"-d", "keepdepfile",
+			"-o", "usesphonyoutputs=yes",
+			"-o", "preremoveoutputs=yes",
 			"-w", "dupbuild=err",
+			"-w", "outputdir=err",
+			"-w", "missingoutfile=err",
 			"-j", strconv.Itoa(config.Parallel()),
 			"--frontend_file", fifo,
 			"-f", filepath.Join(config.SoongOutDir(), file))