diff --git a/debian/rules.real b/debian/rules.real
index d3914ec57..4c7942a86 100644
--- a/debian/rules.real
+++ b/debian/rules.real
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ endif
 
 setup_env += DISTRIBUTION_OFFICIAL_BUILD=1 DISTRIBUTION_UPLOADER=$(UPLOADER) DISTRIBUTION_VERSION="$(SOURCEVERSION)"
 
+MAKE_CLEAN = $(setup_env) $(MAKE)
+MAKE_SELF = $(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real
+
 #
 # Targets
 #
@@ -123,13 +126,13 @@ endif
 ifdef CFLAGS
 	echo 'CFLAGS += $(CFLAGS)'  >> '$(DIR)/.kernelvariables'
 endif
-	cd '$(DIR)'; $(setup_env) make reportoldconfig
+	$(MAKE_CLEAN) -C '$(DIR)' reportoldconfig
 
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_$(TYPE): DIR=$(BUILD_DIR)/build_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_$(TYPE): $(STAMPS_DIR)/source_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)
 
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_kernel-package:
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real setup_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_all
+	$(MAKE_SELF) setup_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_all
 	mkdir -p '$(DIR)/debian'
 	cp debian/{changelog,control,copyright} '$(DIR)/debian'
 	touch '$(DIR)/debian/official'
@@ -139,8 +142,8 @@ $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_kernel-package:
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain \
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain-s390-tape \
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain-xen:
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real setup_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_all
-	cd '$(DIR)'; $(setup_env) make prepare $(JOBS_ARG)
+	$(MAKE_SELF) setup_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_all
+	$(MAKE_CLEAN) -C '$(DIR)' $(JOBS_ARG) prepare
 	touch '$@'
 
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/build_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_$(TYPE): DIR=$(BUILD_DIR)/build_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)
@@ -154,16 +157,17 @@ $(STAMPS_DIR)/build_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_kernel-package:
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/build_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain \
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/build_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain-s390-tape \
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/build_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain-xen:
-	cd '$(DIR)'; $(setup_env) make $(JOBS_ARG)
+	$(MAKE_CLEAN) -C '$(DIR)' $(JOBS_ARG)
 	python2.4 debian/bin/abicheck.py $(DIR) $(ARCH) $(FEATURESET) $(FLAVOUR)
 	touch '$@'
 
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/build-doc: SOURCE_DIR=$(BUILD_DIR)/source
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/build-doc: DIR=$(BUILD_DIR)/build-doc
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/build-doc: $(STAMPS_DIR)/source
-	rm -rf '$(DIR)'
+	rm -rf $(DIR)
 	cp -al '$(SOURCE_DIR)' '$(DIR)'
-	$(setup_env) make -C '$(DIR)' $(JOBS_ARG) htmldocs mandocs
+	$(MAKE_CLEAN) -C $(DIR) $(JOBS_ARG) xmldocs
+	$(MAKE_CLEAN) -C $(DIR) $(JOBS_ARG) htmldocs mandocs
 	touch '$@'
 
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/build-libc-dev: SOURCE_DIR = $(BUILD_DIR)/source
@@ -202,7 +206,7 @@ install-doc: $(STAMPS_DIR)/build-doc
 	cpio -pd --preserve-modification-time '$(OUT_DIR)/Documentation'
 	mv '$(OUT_DIR)/Documentation/DocBook' '$(OUT_DIR)/html'
 	-gzip -9qfr '$(OUT_DIR)/Documentation'
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base
 
 install-manual: PACKAGE_NAME = linux-manual-$(VERSION)
 install-manual: DIR=$(BUILD_DIR)/build-doc
@@ -211,20 +215,20 @@ install-manual: DH_OPTIONS = -p$(PACKAGE_NAME)
 install-manual: $(STAMPS_DIR)/build-doc
 	dh_clean -d -k
 	find '$(DIR)/Documentation/DocBook/' -name '*.9' | xargs dh_installman
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base
 
 install-dummy:
 	dh_testdir
 	dh_testroot
 	dh_clean -d -k
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base
 
 install-headers_$(ARCH): PACKAGE_NAMES = linux-headers-$(UPSTREAMVERSION)$(ABINAME)-all linux-headers-$(UPSTREAMVERSION)$(ABINAME)-all-$(ARCH)
 install-headers_$(ARCH): DH_OPTIONS = $(foreach p, $(PACKAGE_NAMES), -p$(p))
 install-headers_$(ARCH):
 	dh_testdir
 	dh_testroot
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base GENCONTROL_ARGS='-Vkernel:Arch=$(ARCH)'
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base GENCONTROL_ARGS='-Vkernel:Arch=$(ARCH)'
 
 install-headers_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET): PACKAGE_NAME = linux-headers-$(UPSTREAMVERSION)$(ABINAME)$(LOCALVERSION_HEADERS)
 install-headers_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET): DH_OPTIONS = -p$(PACKAGE_NAME)
@@ -253,7 +257,7 @@ install-headers_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET): $(STAMPS_DIR)/source_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET
 	) \
 	| \
 	cpio -pd --preserve-modification-time $(DIR)
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base
 
 install-headers_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR): REAL_VERSION = $(UPSTREAMVERSION)$(ABINAME)$(LOCALVERSION)
 install-headers_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR): PACKAGE_NAME = linux-headers-$(REAL_VERSION)
@@ -327,7 +331,7 @@ install-headers_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR): $(STAMPS_DIR)/build_$(ARCH)_$(
 
 	ln -s "../${PACKAGE_NAME_KBUILD}/scripts" "${DIR}"
 
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base
 
 install-libc-dev_$(ARCH): PACKAGE_NAME = linux-libc-dev
 install-libc-dev_$(ARCH): DH_OPTIONS = -p$(PACKAGE_NAME)
@@ -337,11 +341,11 @@ install-libc-dev_$(ARCH): $(STAMPS_DIR)/build-libc-dev
 	dh_testdir
 	dh_testroot
 	dh_clean -d -k
-	$(setup_env) make -C '$(SOURCE_DIR)' headers_check ARCH=$(HEADERS_ARCH)
-	$(setup_env) make -C '$(SOURCE_DIR)' headers_install ARCH=$(HEADERS_ARCH) INSTALL_HDR_PATH='$(DIR)'
+	$(MAKE_CLEAN) -C '$(SOURCE_DIR)' headers_check ARCH=$(HEADERS_ARCH)
+	$(MAKE_CLEAN) -C '$(SOURCE_DIR)' headers_install ARCH=$(HEADERS_ARCH) INSTALL_HDR_PATH='$(DIR)'
 	# XXX: Needs to be removed from libc6-dev
 	rm -rf '$(DIR)'/include/scsi
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base
 
 # XXX: This needs to be moved into the config
 install-libc-dev_$(ARCH): HEADERS_ARCH = $(ARCH)
@@ -363,7 +367,7 @@ install-support:
 	dh_install debian/config debian/lib debian/modules /usr/src/$(PACKAGE_NAME)
 	dh_python -V 2.4 /usr/src/$(PACKAGE_NAME)/lib/python
 	echo -e "[version]\nsource: $(SOURCEVERSION)\nabiname: $(ABINAME)" > $(PACKAGE_DIR)/usr/src/$(PACKAGE_NAME)/version
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base
 
 install-image_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_$(TYPE): REAL_VERSION = $(UPSTREAMVERSION)$(ABINAME)$(LOCALVERSION)
 install-image_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_$(TYPE): PACKAGE_NAME = linux-image-$(REAL_VERSION)
@@ -391,22 +395,22 @@ install-image_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain:
 	dh_testroot
 	dh_clean -d -k
 	dh_installdirs 'boot'
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real \
+	$(MAKE_SELF) \
 	  install-image_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain_image \
 	  DIR='$(DIR)' PACKAGE_DIR='$(PACKAGE_DIR)' INSTALL_DIR='$(INSTALL_DIR)' REAL_VERSION='$(REAL_VERSION)'
 ifeq ($(MODULES),True)
-	cd $(DIR); $(setup_env) make modules_install INSTALL_MOD_PATH=$(PACKAGE_DIR)
+	$(MAKE_CLEAN) -C $(DIR) modules_install INSTALL_MOD_PATH=$(PACKAGE_DIR)
 	cp $(DIR)/.config $(PACKAGE_DIR)/boot/config-$(REAL_VERSION)
 	cp $(DIR)/System.map $(PACKAGE_DIR)/boot/System.map-$(REAL_VERSION)
 	rm $(PACKAGE_DIR)/lib/modules/$(REAL_VERSION)/{build,source,modules.*}
 endif
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real \
+	$(MAKE_SELF) \
 	  install-image_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain_templates \
 	  PACKAGE_DIR='$(PACKAGE_DIR)' REAL_VERSION='$(REAL_VERSION)'
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real \
+	$(MAKE_SELF) \
 	  install-image_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain_bug \
 	  PACKAGE_DIR='$(PACKAGE_DIR)' PACKAGE_NAME='$(PACKAGE_NAME)' REAL_VERSION='$(REAL_VERSION)'
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base
 
 install-image_amd64_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain_image \
 install-image_i386_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain_image:
@@ -419,10 +423,10 @@ install-image_powerpc_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain_image:
 	install -m644 '$(DIR)/vmlinux' $(INSTALL_DIR)/vmlinux-$(REAL_VERSION)
 ifeq ($(KERNEL_ARCH),ppc)
 	# TODO: GNA
-	$(setup_env) make -C '$(DIR)/arch/ppc/boot' mkvmlinuz_support_install \
+	$(MAKE_CLEAN) -C '$(DIR)/arch/ppc/boot' mkvmlinuz_support_install \
 	  INSTALL_MKVMLINUZ=$(PACKAGE_DIR)/usr/lib/linux-image-$(REAL_VERSION)
 else
-	$(setup_env) make -C '$(DIR)' mkvmlinuz_support_install \
+	$(MAKE_CLEAN) -C '$(DIR)' mkvmlinuz_support_install \
 	  INSTALL_MKVMLINUZ=$(PACKAGE_DIR)/usr/lib/linux-image-$(REAL_VERSION)
 endif
 
@@ -473,7 +477,7 @@ install-image_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain-s390-tape:
 	dh_clean -d -k
 	dh_installdirs 'boot'
 	cp '$(DIR)/arch/s390/boot/image' $(PACKAGE_DIR)/boot/vmlinuz-$(REAL_VERSION)
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base
 
 install-image_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain-xen: MODULES_PACKAGE_NAME = linux-modules-$(REAL_VERSION)
 install-image_$(ARCH)_$(FEATURESET)_$(FLAVOUR)_plain-xen: MODULES_PACKAGE_DIR = $(CURDIR)/debian/$(MODULES_PACKAGE_NAME)
@@ -490,7 +494,7 @@ else
 	objcopy -g --strip-unneeded $(DIR)/vmlinux $(DIR)/vmlinux-stripped
 endif
 	gzip -c -9 $(DIR)/vmlinux-stripped > $(INSTALL_DIR)/vmlinuz-$(REAL_VERSION)
-	cd $(DIR); $(setup_env) make modules_install INSTALL_MOD_PATH=$(MODULES_PACKAGE_DIR)
+	$(MAKE_CLEAN) -C $(DIR) modules_install INSTALL_MOD_PATH=$(MODULES_PACKAGE_DIR)
 	cp $(DIR)/.config $(MODULES_PACKAGE_DIR)/boot/config-$(REAL_VERSION)
 	cp $(DIR)/System.map $(MODULES_PACKAGE_DIR)/boot/System.map-$(REAL_VERSION)
 	rm $(MODULES_PACKAGE_DIR)/lib/modules/$(REAL_VERSION)/{build,source}
@@ -498,7 +502,7 @@ endif
 	for i in $(XEN_VERSIONS); do echo $$i; done > $(PACKAGE_DIR)/var/lib/$(PACKAGE_NAME)/xen-versions
 	install -d $(PACKAGE_DIR)/DEBIAN
 	echo /var/lib/$(PACKAGE_NAME)/xen-versions >> $(PACKAGE_DIR)/DEBIAN/conffiles
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base
 
 install-patch: PACKAGE = linux-patch-debian-$(VERSION)
 install-patch: pbase := /usr/src/kernel-patches/all/$(UPSTREAMVERSION)
@@ -513,17 +517,17 @@ install-patch:
 	install debian/bin/patch.apply '$(pfull)/apply/debian'
 	install debian/bin/patch.unpatch '$(pfull)/unpatch/debian'
 	find '$(pfull)/debian' ! -path '*/series/*' -type f -execdir bzip2 '{}' ';' -execdir chmod 644 '{}.bz2' ';'
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base DH_OPTIONS='$(DH_OPTIONS)'
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base DH_OPTIONS='$(DH_OPTIONS)'
 
 install-source: DH_OPTIONS = -plinux-source-$(VERSION)
 install-source: $(BUILD_DIR)/linux-source-$(UPSTREAMVERSION).tar.bz2
 	dh_testdir
 	dh_testroot
 	dh_install $(DH_OPTIONS) '$<' /usr/src
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-base DH_OPTIONS='$(DH_OPTIONS)'
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-base DH_OPTIONS='$(DH_OPTIONS)'
 
 install-tree: DH_OPTIONS = -plinux-tree-$(VERSION)
 install-tree:
-	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-dummy DH_OPTIONS='$(DH_OPTIONS)'
+	$(MAKE_SELF) install-dummy DH_OPTIONS='$(DH_OPTIONS)'
 
 # vim: filetype=make