diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index fcb7aba2..e951eaf0 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+1999-04-03  Paul D. Smith  <psmith@gnu.org>
+
+	* remake.c (f_mtime): If: a) we found a file and b) we didn't
+	create it and c) it's not marked as an implicit target and d) it
+	is marked as an intermediate target, then it was so marked due to
+	an .INTERMEDIATE special target, but it already existed in the
+	directory.  In this case, unset the intermediate flag so we won't
+	delete it when make is done.  It feels like it would be cleaner to
+	put this check in update_file_1() but I worry it'll get missed...
+
 1999-04-01  Paul D. Smith  <psmith@gnu.org>
 
 	* job.c (construct_command_argv_internal): Use bcopy() to copy
diff --git a/remake.c b/remake.c
index b8b5c7fc..674f7efe 100644
--- a/remake.c
+++ b/remake.c
@@ -1140,11 +1140,22 @@ f_mtime (file, search)
   /* Store the mtime into all the entries for this file.  */
   if (file->double_colon)
     file = file->double_colon;
+
   do
     {
+      /* If this file is not implicit but it is intermediate then it was
+	 made so by the .INTERMEDIATE target.  If this file has never
+	 been built by us but was found now, it existed before make
+	 started.  So, turn off the intermediate bit so make doesn't
+	 delete it, since it didn't create it.  */
+      if (mtime != (FILE_TIMESTAMP)-1 && file->command_state == cs_not_started
+	  && !file->tried_implicit && file->intermediate)
+	file->intermediate = 0;
+
       file->last_mtime = mtime;
       file = file->prev;
-    } while (file != 0);
+    }
+  while (file != 0);
 
   return mtime;
 }