diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a80dec9b3470..40af8caf23cf 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ kernel: buildkernel installkernel
 upgrade_checks:
 .if ${HAVE_MAKE} != ${WANT_MAKE} || \
     (defined(WANT_MAKE_VERSION) && ${MAKE_VERSION} < ${WANT_MAKE_VERSION})
-	@(cd ${.CURDIR} && ${MAKE} ${WANT_MAKE:S,^f,,})
+	@${_+_}(cd ${.CURDIR} && ${MAKE} ${WANT_MAKE:S,^f,,})
 .endif
 
 #