diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2ae8a1f3db9..e295c066dd2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ api_docs_quick_preview:
 api_docs_clean:
 	find ./docs/api_reference -name '*_api_reference.rst' -delete
 	git clean -fdX ./docs/api_reference
-	rm docs/api_reference/index.md
+	rm -f docs/api_reference/index.md
 	
 
 ## api_docs_linkcheck: Run linkchecker on the API Reference documentation.