diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalBorlandMakefileGenerator.h b/Source/cmGlobalBorlandMakefileGenerator.h
index 120d2f807..005f0d694 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalBorlandMakefileGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalBorlandMakefileGenerator.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ public:
                               cmMakefile *, bool optional);
 
   virtual bool AllowNotParallel() const { return false; }
+  virtual bool AllowDeleteOnError() const { return false; }
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.h b/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.h
index 50a901e2f..a76a835a7 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3.h
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ public:
   /** Does the make tool tolerate .NOTPARALLEL? */
   virtual bool AllowNotParallel() const { return true; }
 
+  /** Does the make tool tolerate .DELETE_ON_ERROR? */
+  virtual bool AllowDeleteOnError() const { return true; }
+
   virtual void ComputeTargetObjectDirectory(cmGeneratorTarget* gt) const;
 protected:
   void WriteMainMakefile2();
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalWatcomWMakeGenerator.h b/Source/cmGlobalWatcomWMakeGenerator.h
index 0e577b5d6..7bc209bc1 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalWatcomWMakeGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalWatcomWMakeGenerator.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ public:
                               cmMakefile *, bool optional);
 
   virtual bool AllowNotParallel() const { return false; }
+  virtual bool AllowDeleteOnError() const { return false; }
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.cxx
index 641cd23cc..2cd2d3e13 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmMakefileTargetGenerator.cxx
@@ -122,6 +122,14 @@ void cmMakefileTargetGenerator::CreateRuleFile()
     return;
     }
   this->LocalGenerator->WriteDisclaimer(*this->BuildFileStream);
+  if (this->GlobalGenerator->AllowDeleteOnError())
+    {
+    std::vector<std::string> no_depends;
+    std::vector<std::string> no_commands;
+    this->LocalGenerator->WriteMakeRule(
+      *this->BuildFileStream, "Delete rule output on recipe failure.",
+      ".DELETE_ON_ERROR", no_depends, no_commands, false);
+    }
   this->LocalGenerator->WriteSpecialTargetsTop(*this->BuildFileStream);
 }