diff --git a/Makefile.inc1 b/Makefile.inc1
index 3ebeadd9becb..e3cb6f423972 100644
--- a/Makefile.inc1
+++ b/Makefile.inc1
@@ -484,6 +484,7 @@ SPECIAL_INSTALLCHECKS=
 # Require DESTDIR to be set if installing for a different architecture.
 #
 .if ${TARGET_ARCH} != ${MACHINE_ARCH} || ${TARGET} != ${MACHINE}
+.if !make(distributeworld)
 SPECIAL_INSTALLCHECKS+=	installcheck_DESTDIR
 installcheck_DESTDIR:
 .if !defined(DESTDIR) || empty(DESTDIR)
@@ -491,6 +492,7 @@ installcheck_DESTDIR:
 	false
 .endif
 .endif
+.endif
 
 #
 # installcheck