diff --git a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/transformation/impl/TransformedArtifact.java b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/transformation/impl/TransformedArtifact.java
index bcd3fae734fa..78f45c0b46e8 100644
--- a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/transformation/impl/TransformedArtifact.java
+++ b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/internal/transformation/impl/TransformedArtifact.java
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ private String mayUpdate()
         } else {
             String current = sha1(src);
             String existing = sourceState.get();
-            if (!Objects.equals(current, existing)) {
+            if (!Files.exists(target) || !Objects.equals(current, existing)) {
                 defaultConsumerPomArtifactTransformer.transform(project, session, src, target);
                 Files.setLastModifiedTime(target, Files.getLastModifiedTime(src));
             }