diff --git a/cmd/soong_build/main.go b/cmd/soong_build/main.go
index d64010e66..4490dd2af 100644
--- a/cmd/soong_build/main.go
+++ b/cmd/soong_build/main.go
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ func needToWriteNinjaHint(ctx *android.Context) bool {
 	case "always":
 		return true
 	case "depend":
-		if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(ctx.Config().OutDir(), ".ninja_log")); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(topDir, ctx.Config().OutDir(), ".ninja_log")); errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
 			return true
 		}
 	}