diff --git a/usr.bin/bmake/Makefile.inc b/usr.bin/bmake/Makefile.inc
index 89c5f61f4d7a..ad7faad29f96 100644
--- a/usr.bin/bmake/Makefile.inc
+++ b/usr.bin/bmake/Makefile.inc
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ PROG= make
 NO_SHARED?=     YES
 .endif
 
-.if defined(MK_TESTS) && ${MK_TESTS} != no
+# hack to not add tests to tests subdir since this is included from
+# there and to avoid renaming things that require changes to generated
+# files.
+.if defined(MK_TESTS) && ${MK_TESTS} != no && exists(${.CURDIR}/tests)
 SUBDIR+= tests
 .endif