diff --git a/stand/efi/Makefile b/stand/efi/Makefile
index 91dcb2b6b401..4f8dc6549662 100644
--- a/stand/efi/Makefile
+++ b/stand/efi/Makefile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ NO_OBJ=t
 .if ${COMPILER_TYPE} != "gcc" || ${COMPILER_VERSION} >= 40500
 
 SUBDIR.${MK_FDT}+=	fdt
-SUBDIR+=	libefi loader boot1
+SUBDIR.yes+=	libefi loader boot1
 
 .endif # ${COMPILER_TYPE} != "gcc" || ${COMPILER_VERSION} >= 40500
 
diff --git a/stand/i386/Makefile b/stand/i386/Makefile
index c762c0d33c8b..7e7f4d6e7134 100644
--- a/stand/i386/Makefile
+++ b/stand/i386/Makefile
@@ -4,18 +4,18 @@ NO_OBJ=t
 
 .include <bsd.init.mk>
 
-SUBDIR=		mbr pmbr boot0 boot0sio btx boot2 cdboot gptboot \
+SUBDIR.yes=	mbr pmbr boot0 boot0sio btx boot2 cdboot gptboot \
 		libi386
 
 SUBDIR.${MK_LOADER_FIREWIRE}+=	libfirewire
 
-SUBDIR+=	loader
+SUBDIR.yes+=	loader
 
 # special boot programs, 'self-extracting boot2+loader'
-SUBDIR+=	pxeldr
+SUBDIR.yes+=	pxeldr
 
 .if ${MACHINE_CPUARCH} == "i386"
-SUBDIR+=	kgzldr
+SUBDIR.yes+=	kgzldr
 .endif
 
 SUBDIR.${MK_ZFS}+=	zfsboot gptzfsboot zfsloader
diff --git a/stand/powerpc/Makefile b/stand/powerpc/Makefile
index f1cd7d8b2e5e..ca528fb68cef 100644
--- a/stand/powerpc/Makefile
+++ b/stand/powerpc/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ NO_OBJ=t
 
 .include <bsd.init.mk>
 
-SUBDIR=		boot1.chrp ofw uboot
+SUBDIR.yes=		boot1.chrp ofw uboot
 SUBDIR.${MK_FDT}+=	kboot
 
 .include <bsd.subdir.mk>
diff --git a/stand/sparc64/Makefile b/stand/sparc64/Makefile
index 12acf55458d4..94fc677447a8 100644
--- a/stand/sparc64/Makefile
+++ b/stand/sparc64/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ NO_OBJ=t
 
 .include <bsd.init.mk>
 
-SUBDIR=	boot1 loader
+SUBDIR.yes=	boot1 loader
 SUBDIR.${MK_ZFS}+=zfsboot zfsloader
 
 .include <bsd.subdir.mk>
diff --git a/stand/uboot/Makefile b/stand/uboot/Makefile
index 5ba6e2accf8f..fde6f9c4e16e 100644
--- a/stand/uboot/Makefile
+++ b/stand/uboot/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 .include <bsd.init.mk>
 
-SUBDIR=	lib
+SUBDIR.yes=	lib
 
 SUBDIR.${MK_FDT}+=fdt