diff --git a/Shakefile.hs b/Shakefile.hs
--- a/Shakefile.hs
+++ b/Shakefile.hs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
   -- | sanity
   --
   fake' pats "sanity" $ const $
-    need [ "lint", fakeFile "build-error" ]
+    need [ fakeFile "build-error", "lint" ]
 
   -- | Default things to run.
   --
diff --git a/shakers.cabal b/shakers.cabal
--- a/shakers.cabal
+++ b/shakers.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                  shakers
-version:               0.0.4
+version:               0.0.5
 synopsis:              Shake helpers.
 description:           Primitive helpers for Shake files.
 homepage:              https://github.com/swift-nav/shakers
diff --git a/src/Development/Shakers.hs b/src/Development/Shakers.hs
--- a/src/Development/Shakers.hs
+++ b/src/Development/Shakers.hs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
   , fake'
   , meta
   , preprocess
+  , preprocess'
   , mirror
   , stackRules
   , cabalRules
@@ -174,18 +175,22 @@
     content <- act
     writeFileChanged out content
 
--- | Preprocess a file with m4
+-- | Preprocess a file with m4.
 --
-preprocess :: FilePath -> Action [(String, String)] -> Rules ()
-preprocess file macros =
-  file %> \out -> do
-    let template = file <.> "m4"
-    need [ template ]
+preprocess :: FilePattern -> FilePath -> Action [(String, String)] -> Rules ()
+preprocess target file macros =
+  target %> \out -> do
+    need [ file ]
     let f k v = "-D" <> k <> "=" <> v
     macros' <- macros
-    content <- m4 $ template : (uncurry f <$> macros')
+    content <- m4 $ file : (uncurry f <$> macros')
     writeFileChanged out content
 
+-- | Preprocess a file with m4, use default file name.
+--
+preprocess' :: FilePath -> Action [(String, String)] -> Rules ()
+preprocess' file = preprocess file (file <.> "m4")
+
 -- | Mirror files to the mirror directory.
 --
 mirror :: [FilePattern] -> Rules ()
@@ -293,7 +298,7 @@
 
   -- | cabal
   --
-  preprocess file $ do
+  preprocess' file $ do
     need [ metaFile "gitVersion" ]
     version <- gitVersion
     return [ ("VERSION", version) ]