diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ff4c18cbbc78..9898df061735 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ kernel: buildkernel installkernel
 upgrade_checks:
 .if ${HAVE_MAKE} != ${WANT_MAKE} || \
     (defined(WANT_MAKE_VERSION) && ${MAKE_VERSION} < ${WANT_MAKE_VERSION})
-	@(cd ${.CURDIR} && ${MAKE} ${WANT_MAKE:S,^f,,})
+	@${_+_}(cd ${.CURDIR} && ${MAKE} ${WANT_MAKE:S,^f,,})
 .elif ${WANT_MAKE} == "fmake"
 	@if ! (cd ${.CURDIR}/tools/build/make_check && \
 	    PATH=${PATH} ${BINMAKE} obj >/dev/null 2>&1 && \