diff --git a/Source/cmMakefile.cxx b/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
index 5ab1928a8..042ffc058 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
@@ -559,6 +559,11 @@ bool cmMakefile::ReadListFile(const char* filename_in,
       }
     }
 
+  if (filenametoread)
+    {
+    this->cmCurrentListFile = filenametoread;
+    }
+
   if (external_in)
     {
     external_abs =
@@ -567,12 +572,6 @@ bool cmMakefile::ReadListFile(const char* filename_in,
     external = external_abs.c_str();
     }
 
-  // keep track of the current file being read
-  if (filenametoread)
-    {
-    this->cmCurrentListFile = filenametoread;
-    }
-
   if(external_in)
     {
     filenametoread= external;