diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c57a8996..b892947c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ docs/doxyxml/
 #*#
 *~
 .DS_Store
+tests/runner-autogen.cpp
diff --git a/cmake/xlnt.test.cmake b/cmake/xlnt.test.cmake
index 3b97f9de..7d92fef8 100644
--- a/cmake/xlnt.test.cmake
+++ b/cmake/xlnt.test.cmake
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ FILE(GLOB TEST_HELPERS_SOURCES tests/helpers/*.cpp)
 
 SET(TEST_HELPERS ${TEST_HELPERS_HEADERS} ${TEST_HELPERS_SOURCES})
 
+file(WRITE tests/runner-autogen.cpp "#error This file should be generated from tests before compiling")
 SET(RUNNER tests/runner-autogen.cpp)
 
 add_executable(xlnt.test ${TEST_HELPERS} ${TESTS} ${RUNNER} )
diff --git a/tests/runner-autogen.cpp b/tests/runner-autogen.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 68b4678e..00000000
--- a/tests/runner-autogen.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-#error This file should be generated from tests before compiling