diff --git a/iptables.spec b/iptables.spec
index 99420b9..8737de6 100644
--- a/iptables.spec
+++ b/iptables.spec
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 %define iptables_rpmversion 1.8.10
-%define iptables_specrelease 9
+%define iptables_specrelease 10
 
 # install init scripts to /usr/libexec with systemd
 %global script_path %{_libexecdir}/iptables
@@ -290,9 +290,11 @@ for fam in ip ip6; do
 	link_ext libxt_NAT lib${fam}t_MASQUERADE
 done
 
-# drop unused installed symlinks
+# turn %ghost'ed installed symlinks into empty files,
+# otherwise builds will fail on c9s
 for f in %{buildroot}%{_sbindir}/ip{,6}tables{,-restore,-save}; do
 	[[ -L "$f" ]] && rm "$f"
+	touch "$f"
 done
 
 %if ! %{do_legacy_pkg}
@@ -498,6 +500,9 @@ fi
 %ghost %{_mandir}/man8/ebtables{,-translate}.8.gz
 
 %changelog
+* Sun Dec 22 2024 Phil Sutter <psutter@redhat.com> [1.8.10-10.el9]
+- spec: Fix build on c9s (Phil Sutter) [RHEL-72005]
+
 * Sun Dec 22 2024 Phil Sutter <psutter@redhat.com> [1.8.10-9.el9]
 - spec: Explicitly remove unpackaged files (Michel Lind) [RHEL-72005]