diff --git a/cde/include/cppfile.tmpl b/cde/include/cppfile.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..67c6a2342
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cde/include/cppfile.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+CLEANFILES += $(CPPTARGET)
+
+all:: $(CPPTARGET)
+
+$(CPPTARGET):: $(CPPSRC)
+	$(RM) $@
+	$(CPP) -P -DXCOMM=# $(SCRIPTFLAGS) < $(CPPSRC) > $@