diff --git a/sys/conf/Makefile.alpha b/sys/conf/Makefile.alpha
index 4c9bdb02a625..719a49e5ea91 100644
--- a/sys/conf/Makefile.alpha
+++ b/sys/conf/Makefile.alpha
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ ${FULLKERNEL}: ${SYSTEM_DEP} vers.o
 	${SYSTEM_LD}
 	${SYSTEM_LD_TAIL}
 .if !defined(NO_MODULES) && exists(${.CURDIR}/../../modules)
+	@mkdir -p ${.CURDIR}/modules
+	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && env MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX=${.CURDIR}/modules ${MAKE} obj
 	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && ${MAKE} all
 .endif
 
@@ -140,7 +142,7 @@ clean:
 	      ${MFILES:T:S/.m$/.c/} ${MFILES:T:S/.m$/.h/} \
 	      ${CLEAN}
 .if !defined(NO_MODULES) && exists(${.CURDIR}/../../modules)
-	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && ${MAKE} clean
+	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && env MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX=${.CURDIR}/modules ${MAKE} clean
 .endif
 
 #lint: /tmp param.c
@@ -237,13 +239,15 @@ depend: assym.s param.c vnode_if.h ${BEFORE_DEPEND} \
 	rm -f .depend
 	mv -f .newdep .depend
 .if !defined(NO_MODULES) && exists(${.CURDIR}/../../modules)
+	@mkdir -p ${.CURDIR}/modules
+	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && env MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX=${.CURDIR}/modules ${MAKE} obj
 	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && ${MAKE} depend
 .endif
 
 cleandepend:
 	rm -f .depend
 .if !defined(NO_MODULES) && exists(${.CURDIR}/../../modules)
-	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && ${MAKE} cleandepend
+	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && env MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX=${.CURDIR}/modules ${MAKE} cleandepend
 .endif
 
 links:
@@ -272,14 +276,14 @@ install install.debug:
 	install -c -m 555 -o root -g wheel -fschg \
 		${KERNEL}${.TARGET:S/install//} ${DESTDIR}/${KERNEL}
 .if !defined(NO_MODULES) && exists(${.CURDIR}/../../modules)
-	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && ${MAKE} install
+	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && env MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX=${.CURDIR}/modules ${MAKE} install
 .endif
 
 reinstall reinstall.debug:
 	install -c -m 555 -o root -g wheel -fschg \
 		${KERNEL}${.TARGET:S/reinstall//} ${DESTDIR}/${KERNEL}
 .if !defined(NO_MODULES) && exists(${.CURDIR}/../../modules)
-	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && ${MAKE} install
+	cd ${.CURDIR}/../../modules && env MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX=${.CURDIR}/modules ${MAKE} install
 .endif
 
 config.o: