diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/autoload.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/autoload.el
index e688d6b..bc7873b 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/autoload.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/autoload.el
@@ -870,6 +870,9 @@ batch-update-autoloads
   ;; Exclude those files that are preloaded on ALL platforms.
   ;; These are the ones in loadup.el where "(load" is at the start
   ;; of the line (crude, but it works).
+  ;; Stop the production of backup files which make little sense
+  ;; during the build process.
+  (setq make-backup-files nil)
   (unless autoload-excludes
     (let ((default-directory (file-name-directory generated-autoload-file))
 	  file)