diff --git a/bin/ls/Makefile b/bin/ls/Makefile
index 098b7ae2ebd5..9197693a203f 100644
--- a/bin/ls/Makefile
+++ b/bin/ls/Makefile
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 PROG=	ls
 SRCS=	cmp.c lomac.c ls.c print.c util.c
+NO_WERROR=1
+WFORMAT=0
 DPADD=	${LIBM}
 LDADD=	-lm
 
@@ -11,7 +13,5 @@ CFLAGS+= -DCOLORLS
 DPADD+=	${LIBTERMCAP}
 LDADD+=	-ltermcap
 .endif
-WFORMAT=0
-NO_WERROR=1
 
 .include <bsd.prog.mk>
diff --git a/bin/pax/Makefile b/bin/pax/Makefile
index 3c4abaf2109d..58b4179b279b 100644
--- a/bin/pax/Makefile
+++ b/bin/pax/Makefile
@@ -30,10 +30,9 @@ SRCS=	ar_io.c ar_subs.c buf_subs.c cache.c cpio.c file_subs.c ftree.c \
 	gen_subs.c getoldopt.c options.c pat_rep.c pax.c sel_subs.c \
 	tables.c tar.c tty_subs.c
 WARNS=	0
+WFORMAT=0
 #XXX NOTYET
 #MAN=	pax.1 tar.1 cpio.1
 #LINKS=	${BINDIR}/pax ${BINDIR}/tar ${BINDIR}/pax ${BINDIR}/cpio
 
-WFORMAT?=	0
-
 .include <bsd.prog.mk>
diff --git a/bin/ps/Makefile b/bin/ps/Makefile
index 321180b3480a..4c7c1ba9295b 100644
--- a/bin/ps/Makefile
+++ b/bin/ps/Makefile
@@ -10,12 +10,11 @@ SRCS=	fmt.c keyword.c nlist.c print.c ps.c lomac.c
 # on large systems.
 #
 CFLAGS+=-DLAZY_PS
-NO_WERROR=yes
+NO_WERROR=1
+WFORMAT=0
 DPADD=	${LIBM} ${LIBKVM}
 LDADD=	-lm -lkvm
 #BINGRP=	kmem
 #BINMODE=2555
 
-WFORMAT?=	0
-
 .include <bsd.prog.mk>
diff --git a/bin/rcp/Makefile b/bin/rcp/Makefile
index 1f4f0c6fd1c6..923f367a02c9 100644
--- a/bin/rcp/Makefile
+++ b/bin/rcp/Makefile
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ PROG=	rcp
 SRCS=	rcp.c util.c
 CFLAGS+=-DBINDIR=${BINDIR}
 WARNS=	0
-
-WFORMAT?=	0
+WFORMAT=0
 
 .if exists(${DESTDIR}${LIBDIR}/libkrb.a) && defined(MAKE_KERBEROS4)
 SRCS+=	krcmd.c kcmd.c rcmd_util.c
diff --git a/bin/rmail/Makefile b/bin/rmail/Makefile
index bea11ef06bac..2571512af9f7 100644
--- a/bin/rmail/Makefile
+++ b/bin/rmail/Makefile
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ SRCS=	rmail.c
 MAN=	rmail.8
 CFLAGS+=-I${SENDMAIL_DIR}/include
 WARNS=	0
-
-WFORMAT?=	0
+WFORMAT=0
 
 .if exists(${.OBJDIR}/../../lib/libsmutil)
 LIBSMUTILDIR:=	${.OBJDIR}/../../lib/libsmutil