diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0fdfb07655ef..08842b6feae1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -129,6 +129,12 @@ reproducible-prestate:   ## Builds reproducible-prestate binary
 	make -C ./op-program reproducible-prestate
 .PHONY: reproducible-prestate
 
+# Include any files required for the devnet to build and run. This appears to be the only one that's actually needed.
+DEVNET_CANNON_PRESTATE_FILES := op-program/bin/prestate-proof.json op-program/bin/prestate.json
+
+$(DEVNET_CANNON_PRESTATE_FILES):
+	make cannon-prestate
+
 cannon-prestate: op-program cannon ## Generates prestate using cannon and op-program
 	./cannon/bin/cannon load-elf --path op-program/bin/op-program-client.elf --out op-program/bin/prestate.json --meta op-program/bin/meta.json
 	./cannon/bin/cannon run --proof-at '=0' --stop-at '=1' --input op-program/bin/prestate.json --meta op-program/bin/meta.json --proof-fmt 'op-program/bin/%d.json' --output ""
@@ -152,16 +158,14 @@ nuke: clean devnet-clean ## Completely clean the project directory
 	git clean -Xdf
 .PHONY: nuke
 
-pre-devnet: submodules ## Prepares for running a local devnet
+## Prepares for running a local devnet
+pre-devnet: submodules $(DEVNET_CANNON_PRESTATE_FILES)
 	@if ! [ -x "$(command -v geth)" ]; then \
 		make install-geth; \
 	fi
 	@if ! [ -x "$(command -v eth2-testnet-genesis)" ]; then \
 		make install-eth2-testnet-genesis; \
 	fi
-	@if [ ! -e op-program/bin ]; then \
-		make cannon-prestate; \
-	fi
 .PHONY: pre-devnet
 
 devnet-up: pre-devnet ## Starts the local devnet