--- a/browser/locales/Makefile.in
+++ b/browser/locales/Makefile.in
@@ -69,17 +69,20 @@ STUB_HOOK = $(NSINSTALL) -D '$(_ABS_DIST
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(MOZ_WIDGET_TOOLKIT) $(DIST_SUBDIR),windows metro)
 SEARCHPLUGINS_NAMES = $(shell cat $(call MERGE_FILE,/searchplugins/metrolist.txt))
 else
 SEARCHPLUGINS_NAMES = $(shell cat $(call MERGE_FILE,/searchplugins/list.txt))
 endif
 SEARCHPLUGINS_PATH := $(FINAL_TARGET)/searchplugins
-SEARCHPLUGINS := $(addsuffix .xml,$(SEARCHPLUGINS_NAMES))
+# metro build call a searchplugins target for search engine plugins
+.PHONY: searchplugins
+SEARCHPLUGINS_TARGET := libs searchplugins
+SEARCHPLUGINS := $(foreach plugin,$(addsuffix .xml,$(SEARCHPLUGINS_NAMES)),$(or $(wildcard $(call MERGE_FILE,searchplugins/$(plugin))),$(info Missing searchplugin: $(plugin))))
 PP_TARGETS += SEARCHPLUGINS
 
 # Required for l10n.mk - defines a list of app sub dirs that should
 # be included in langpack xpis.
 ifdef MOZ_METRO
 # metro build, include both app folders
 DIST_SUBDIRS = browser metro
 else
@@ -114,20 +117,16 @@ NO_JA_JP_MAC_AB_CD := $(if $(filter ja-J
 libs:: $(FINAL_TARGET)/defaults/profile/bookmarks.html ;
 
 libs:: $(addprefix generic/profile/,$(PROFILE_FILES))
 	$(SYSINSTALL) $(IFLAGS1) $^ $(FINAL_TARGET)/defaults/profile
 
 libs:: $(call MERGE_FILES,$(addprefix profile/chrome/,$(PROFILE_CHROME)))
 	$(SYSINSTALL) $(IFLAGS1) $^ $(FINAL_TARGET)/defaults/profile/chrome
 
-# metro build calls back here for search engine plugins
-searchplugins: $(addprefix $(FINAL_TARGET)/searchplugins/,$(SEARCHPLUGINS))
-.PHONY: searchplugins
-
 libs-%:
 	$(NSINSTALL) -D $(DIST)/install
 	@$(MAKE) -C ../../toolkit/locales libs-$*
 	@$(MAKE) -C ../../services/sync/locales AB_CD=$* XPI_NAME=locale-$*
 ifdef MOZ_WEBAPP_RUNTIME
 	@$(MAKE) -C ../../webapprt/locales AB_CD=$* XPI_NAME=locale-$*
 endif
 	@$(MAKE) -C ../../extensions/spellcheck/locales AB_CD=$* XPI_NAME=locale-$*