diff --git a/Makefile.inc1 b/Makefile.inc1
index a1c9498fc3c6..b68a0d82c54a 100644
--- a/Makefile.inc1
+++ b/Makefile.inc1
@@ -59,20 +59,6 @@ CROSSENV+=CROSS_TOOLCHAIN="${CROSS_TOOLCHAIN}"
 .endif
 .if defined(CROSS_TOOLCHAIN_PREFIX)
 CROSS_COMPILER_PREFIX?=${CROSS_TOOLCHAIN_PREFIX}
-CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX?=${CROSS_TOOLCHAIN_PREFIX}
-.endif
-# If we do not have a bootstrap binutils (because the in-tree one does not
-# support the target architecture), provide a default cross-binutils prefix.
-# This allows aarch64 builds, for example, to automatically use the
-# aarch64-binutils port or package.
-.if !make(showconfig)
-.if !empty(BROKEN_OPTIONS:MBINUTILS_BOOTSTRAP) && \
-    !defined(CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX)
-CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX=/usr/local/${TARGET_ARCH}-freebsd/bin/
-.if !exists(${CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX})
-.error In-tree binutils does not support the ${TARGET_ARCH} architecture. Install the ${TARGET_ARCH}-binutils port or package or set CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX.
-.endif
-.endif
 .endif
 
 XCOMPILERS=	CC CXX CPP
@@ -83,15 +69,6 @@ X${COMPILER}?=	${CROSS_COMPILER_PREFIX}${${COMPILER}}
 X${COMPILER}?=	${${COMPILER}}
 .endif
 .endfor
-XBINUTILS=	AS AR LD NM OBJCOPY OBJDUMP RANLIB SIZE STRINGS
-.for BINUTIL in ${XBINUTILS}
-.if defined(CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX) && \
-    exists(${CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX}${${BINUTIL}})
-X${BINUTIL}?=	${CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX}${${BINUTIL}}
-.else
-X${BINUTIL}?=	${${BINUTIL}}
-.endif
-.endfor
 # If a full path to an external cross compiler is given, don't build
 # a cross compiler.
 .if ${XCC:N${CCACHE_BIN}:M/*}
@@ -151,6 +128,33 @@ CROSSENV+=	COMPILER_VERSION=${COMPILER_VERSION} \
 .endif	# ${_expected_compiler_type} == ${COMPILER_TYPE}
 .endif	# ${XCC:N${CCACHE_BIN}:M/*}
 
+# Handle external binutils.
+.if defined(CROSS_TOOLCHAIN_PREFIX)
+CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX?=${CROSS_TOOLCHAIN_PREFIX}
+.endif
+# If we do not have a bootstrap binutils (because the in-tree one does not
+# support the target architecture), provide a default cross-binutils prefix.
+# This allows aarch64 builds, for example, to automatically use the
+# aarch64-binutils port or package.
+.if !make(showconfig)
+.if !empty(BROKEN_OPTIONS:MBINUTILS_BOOTSTRAP) && \
+    !defined(CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX)
+CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX=/usr/local/${TARGET_ARCH}-freebsd/bin/
+.if !exists(${CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX})
+.error In-tree binutils does not support the ${TARGET_ARCH} architecture. Install the ${TARGET_ARCH}-binutils port or package or set CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX.
+.endif
+.endif
+.endif
+XBINUTILS=	AS AR LD NM OBJCOPY OBJDUMP RANLIB SIZE STRINGS
+.for BINUTIL in ${XBINUTILS}
+.if defined(CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX) && \
+    exists(${CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX}${${BINUTIL}})
+X${BINUTIL}?=	${CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX}${${BINUTIL}}
+.else
+X${BINUTIL}?=	${${BINUTIL}}
+.endif
+.endfor
+
 
 # We must do lib/ and libexec/ before bin/ in case of a mid-install error to
 # keep the users system reasonably usable.  For static->dynamic root upgrades,