diff --git a/Makefile.inc1 b/Makefile.inc1
index a6d1842fc3a6..fb71ce1beb5b 100644
--- a/Makefile.inc1
+++ b/Makefile.inc1
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ TARGET_ARCH=	${TARGET:S/pc98/i386/:S/sun4v/sparc64/:S/mips/mipsel/}
 TARGET=		${TARGET_ARCH:C/mipse[lb]/mips/:C/armeb/arm}
 .endif
 # Legacy names, for a transition period mips:mips -> mipsel:mips
-.if ${TARGET_ARCH} == "mips" && ${TARGET} == "mips"
+.if defined(TARGET) && defined(TARGET_ARCH) && \
+    ${TARGET_ARCH} == "mips" && ${TARGET} == "mips"
 .warning "TARGET_ARCH of mips is deprecated in favor of mipsel or mipseb"
 .if defined(TARGET_BIG_ENDIAN)
 TARGET_ARCH=mipseb
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ TARGET_ARCH=mipsel
 .endif
 .endif
 # arm with TARGET_BIG_ENDIAN -> armeb
-.if ${TARGET_ARCH} == "arm" && defined(TARGET_BIG_ENDIAN)
+.if defined(TARGET_ARCH) && ${TARGET_ARCH} == "arm" && defined(TARGET_BIG_ENDIAN)
 .warning "TARGET_ARCH of arm with TARGET_BIG_ENDIAN is deprecated.  use armeb"
 TARGET_ARCH=armeb
 .endif