diff --git a/chertex.sh b/chertex.sh
index 3b3f6a0..9ab74cd 100755
--- a/chertex.sh
+++ b/chertex.sh
@@ -160,6 +160,9 @@ if [ $# -eq 1 ]; then
          echo "<thesis> Shrinking $largephotobasename.jpg"
          convert $largephotoname.jpg -define jpeg:extent=300kb $largephotoname.jpg
       done
+      # update the modification and access time on the photosastrun file
+      touch "$photoslastrun"
+
    fi
    # short delay to enable on-screen reading of previous echo
 	simpledelay.sh 2