diff --git a/usr.bin/tip/tip/Makefile b/usr.bin/tip/tip/Makefile
index 253892c52952..4d08ca3ca337 100644
--- a/usr.bin/tip/tip/Makefile
+++ b/usr.bin/tip/tip/Makefile
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ acutab.o log.o remote.o: Makefile
 # Dirty, rotten hack. This can be removed when we are confident that there
 # is no cu(1) with the schg-bit set.
 beforeinstall:
+.if exists(${DESTDIR}${BINDIR}/cu)
 	-@chflags noschg ${DESTDIR}${BINDIR}/cu
+.endif
 
 .include <bsd.prog.mk>