diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 8910fc1..b09df00 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@
    description="Create .phar file for release"
    >
     <echo msg="Creating .phar for SemanticScuttle ${version}"/>
+    <delete file="${pharfilepath}" quiet="yes"/>
     <pharpackage basedir="." destfile="${pharfilepath}"
      alias="sc.phar"
      stub="res/phar-stub.php">