diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d3dc7b1f109e..cf973dcad417 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -209,7 +209,8 @@ SUB_MAKE= `test -x ${MYMAKE} && echo ${MYMAKE} || echo ${MAKE}` \
 SUB_MAKE= ${MAKE} -m ${.CURDIR}/share/mk
 .endif
 
-_MAKE=	PATH=${PATH} ${SUB_MAKE} -f Makefile.inc1 TARGET=${_TARGET} TARGET_ARCH=${_TARGET_ARCH}
+_MAKE=	PATH=${PATH} MAKE_CMD=${MAKE} ${SUB_MAKE} -f Makefile.inc1 \
+	TARGET=${_TARGET} TARGET_ARCH=${_TARGET_ARCH}
 
 # Only allow meta mode for the whitelisted targets.  See META_TGT_WHITELIST
 # above.
diff --git a/Makefile.inc1 b/Makefile.inc1
index 7e9a3526b932..14b553a9058b 100644
--- a/Makefile.inc1
+++ b/Makefile.inc1
@@ -2378,11 +2378,11 @@ check-old-dirs: .PHONY
 	done
 
 delete-old: delete-old-files delete-old-dirs .PHONY
-	@echo "To remove old libraries run '${MAKE} delete-old-libs'."
+	@echo "To remove old libraries run '${MAKE_CMD} delete-old-libs'."
 
 check-old: check-old-files check-old-libs check-old-dirs .PHONY
-	@echo "To remove old files and directories run '${MAKE} delete-old'."
-	@echo "To remove old libraries run '${MAKE} delete-old-libs'."
+	@echo "To remove old files and directories run '${MAKE_CMD} delete-old'."
+	@echo "To remove old libraries run '${MAKE_CMD} delete-old-libs'."
 
 .endif