diff --git a/api/internal/plugins/compiler/compiler_test.go b/api/internal/plugins/compiler/compiler_test.go
index 89640f7b1..36f4031cb 100644
--- a/api/internal/plugins/compiler/compiler_test.go
+++ b/api/internal/plugins/compiler/compiler_test.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ package compiler_test
 import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
-	"time"
 
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/api/filesys"
 	. "sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/api/internal/plugins/compiler"
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ func TestCompiler(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
 	}
-	if !FileYoungerThan(expectObj, time.Second) {
+	if !FileExists(expectObj) {
 		t.Errorf("didn't find expected obj file %s", expectObj)
 	}
 	c.Cleanup()
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ func TestCompiler(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)
 	}
-	if !FileYoungerThan(expectObj, time.Second) {
+	if !FileExists(expectObj) {
 		t.Errorf("didn't find expected obj file %s", expectObj)
 	}
 	c.Cleanup()
diff --git a/api/internal/plugins/compiler/utils.go b/api/internal/plugins/compiler/utils.go
index d117184ff..40bde9e96 100644
--- a/api/internal/plugins/compiler/utils.go
+++ b/api/internal/plugins/compiler/utils.go
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ func DeterminePluginSrcRoot(fSys filesys.FileSystem) (string, error) {
 		})
 }
 
-// FileYoungerThan returns true if the file age is <= the Duration argument.
+// FileYoungerThan returns true if the file both exists and has an
+// age is <= the Duration argument.
 func FileYoungerThan(path string, d time.Duration) bool {
 	fi, err := os.Stat(path)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -92,8 +93,20 @@ func FileYoungerThan(path string, d time.Duration) bool {
 	return time.Since(fi.ModTime()) <= d
 }
 
-func FileExists(name string) bool {
-	if _, err := os.Stat(name); err != nil {
+// FileModifiedAfter returns true if the file both exists and was
+// modified after the given time..
+func FileModifiedAfter(path string, t time.Time) bool {
+	fi, err := os.Stat(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return fi.ModTime().After(t)
+}
+
+func FileExists(path string) bool {
+	if _, err := os.Stat(path); err != nil {
 		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
 			return false
 		}