diff --git a/etc/Makefile b/etc/Makefile
index 4b117d5257de..1ff7f1cd4b83 100644
--- a/etc/Makefile
+++ b/etc/Makefile
@@ -7,10 +7,6 @@ FILESGROUPS=	FILES
 
 # No need as it is empty and just causes rebuilds since this file does so much.
 UPDATE_DEPENDFILE=	no
-SUBDIR=	\
-	cron.d \
-	newsyslog.conf.d \
-	syslog.d
 
 .if ${MK_SENDMAIL} != "no"
 SUBDIR+=sendmail
@@ -254,9 +250,11 @@ distribution:
 .if ${MK_CASPER} != "no"
 	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/casper; ${MAKE} install
 .endif
+	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/cron.d; ${MAKE} install
 	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/defaults; ${MAKE} install
 	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/devd; ${MAKE} install
 	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/gss; ${MAKE} install
+	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/newsyslog.conf.d; ${MAKE} install
 .if ${MK_NTP} != "no"
 	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/ntp; ${MAKE} install
 .endif
@@ -266,6 +264,7 @@ distribution:
 .endif
 	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/rc.d; ${MAKE} install
 	${_+_}cd ${SRCTOP}/share/termcap; ${MAKE} etc-termcap
+	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/syslog.d; ${MAKE} install
 	${_+_}cd ${SRCTOP}/usr.sbin/rmt; ${MAKE} etc-rmt
 	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/pam.d; ${MAKE} install
 	cd ${.CURDIR}; ${INSTALL} -o ${BINOWN} -g ${BINGRP} -m 0444 \