diff --git a/pkgs/racket-index/setup/scribble.rkt b/pkgs/racket-index/setup/scribble.rkt
index 82cccdf238..e27f085c50 100644
--- a/pkgs/racket-index/setup/scribble.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/racket-index/setup/scribble.rkt
@@ -1062,7 +1062,10 @@
                                (and can-run?
                                     (not (equal? (car stamp-data)
                                                  src-sha1))
-                                    'newer)))]
+                                    'newer)
+                               (and (or (not provides-time)
+                                        (provides-time . < . info-out-time))
+                                    (not (file-exists? (build-path (doc-dest-dir doc) "provides.sxref"))))))]
          [up-to-date? (not out-of-date)]
          [can-run? (and src-zo
                         (or (not latex-dest)