diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 229149142ac2..3f0d754cc498 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -86,8 +86,7 @@ TGTS+=	${BITGTS}
 
 PATH=	/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
 MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX?=	/usr/obj
-_MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX!= /usr/bin/env -i \
-		PATH=${PATH} MAKEFLAGS="${.MAKEFLAGS}" ${MAKE} \
+_MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX!= /usr/bin/env -i PATH=${PATH} ${MAKE} ${.MAKEFLAGS} \
 		-f /dev/null -V MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX dummy
 .if !empty(_MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX)
 .error MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX can only be set in environment, not as a global\