diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 90870b5771..6f9fb53d4d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ docker-docs: docs
 
 .PHONY: validate.completions
 validate.completions: SHELL:=/usr/bin/env bash # Set shell to bash for this target
-validate.completions:
+validate.completions: completions
 	# Check if the files can be loaded by the shell
 	. completions/bash/podman
 	if [ -x /bin/zsh ]; then /bin/zsh completions/zsh/_podman; fi