diff --git a/build-package.sh b/build-package.sh
index a4e41ddb5..adf6bc4f6 100755
--- a/build-package.sh
+++ b/build-package.sh
@@ -107,6 +107,10 @@ source "$TERMUX_SCRIPTDIR/scripts/build/termux_step_get_dependencies.sh"
 # shellcheck source=scripts/build/termux_step_start_build.sh
 source "$TERMUX_SCRIPTDIR/scripts/build/termux_step_start_build.sh"
 
+# Download or build dependencies. Not to be overridden by packages.
+# shellcheck source=scripts/build/termux_step_create_timestamp_file.sh
+source "$TERMUX_SCRIPTDIR/scripts/build/termux_step_create_timestamp_file.sh"
+
 # Run just after sourcing $TERMUX_PKG_BUILDER_SCRIPT. Can be overridden by packages.
 # shellcheck source=scripts/build/get_source/termux_step_get_source.sh
 source "$TERMUX_SCRIPTDIR/scripts/build/get_source/termux_step_get_source.sh"
@@ -368,8 +372,9 @@ while (($# > 0)); do
 
 		termux_step_setup_variables
 		termux_step_handle_buildarch
-		termux_step_get_dependencies
 		termux_step_start_build
+		termux_step_get_dependencies
+		termux_step_create_timestamp_file
 		cd "$TERMUX_PKG_CACHEDIR"
 		termux_step_get_source
 		cd "$TERMUX_PKG_SRCDIR"
diff --git a/scripts/build/termux_step_create_timestamp_file.sh b/scripts/build/termux_step_create_timestamp_file.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c847d2c15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build/termux_step_create_timestamp_file.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+termux_step_create_timestamp_file() {
+	# Keep track of when build started so we can see what files
+	# have been created.  We start by sleeping so that any
+	# generated files (such as zlib.pc) get an older timestamp
+	# than the TERMUX_BUILD_TS_FILE.
+	sleep 1
+	TERMUX_BUILD_TS_FILE=$TERMUX_PKG_TMPDIR/timestamp_$TERMUX_PKG_NAME
+	touch "$TERMUX_BUILD_TS_FILE"
+}
diff --git a/scripts/build/termux_step_start_build.sh b/scripts/build/termux_step_start_build.sh
index aedfa13af..ab4f8eea0 100644
--- a/scripts/build/termux_step_start_build.sh
+++ b/scripts/build/termux_step_start_build.sh
@@ -122,11 +122,4 @@ termux_step_start_build() {
 
 	# Avoid exporting PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR until after termux_step_host_build.
 	export TERMUX_PKG_CONFIG_LIBDIR=$TERMUX_PREFIX/lib/pkgconfig
-
-	# Keep track of when build started so we can see what files have been created.
-	# We start by sleeping so that any generated files above (such as zlib.pc) get
-	# an older timestamp than the TERMUX_BUILD_TS_FILE.
-	sleep 1
-	TERMUX_BUILD_TS_FILE=$TERMUX_PKG_TMPDIR/timestamp_$TERMUX_PKG_NAME
-	touch "$TERMUX_BUILD_TS_FILE"
 }