diff --git a/xpcom/typelib/xpidl/Makefile.in b/xpcom/typelib/xpidl/Makefile.in
index 0214062cf4a..4d119a000e1 100644
--- a/xpcom/typelib/xpidl/Makefile.in
+++ b/xpcom/typelib/xpidl/Makefile.in
@@ -79,4 +79,5 @@ HOST_CFLAGS	+= -DMDCPUCFG=$(HOST_NSPR_MDCPUCFG)
 endif
 endif
 
-export:: libs
+export::
+	@$(MAKE) libs
diff --git a/xpcom/typelib/xpt/src/Makefile.in b/xpcom/typelib/xpt/src/Makefile.in
index 3cb5e1e2714..7ae7e45c0d5 100644
--- a/xpcom/typelib/xpt/src/Makefile.in
+++ b/xpcom/typelib/xpt/src/Makefile.in
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ HOST_CFLAGS	+= -DEXPORT_XPT_API
 
 # Build libxpt early so that it'll be available to xpidl, which also
 # must be built early.
-export:: libs
+export::
+	@$(MAKE) libs
 
 ifdef CROSS_COMPILE
 ifdef HOST_NSPR_MDCPUCFG
diff --git a/xpcom/typelib/xpt/tools/Makefile.in b/xpcom/typelib/xpt/tools/Makefile.in
index fe7f6899d52..7aa8e7c1055 100644
--- a/xpcom/typelib/xpt/tools/Makefile.in
+++ b/xpcom/typelib/xpt/tools/Makefile.in
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ endif
 
 
 # Build xpt_link and xpt_dump early.  (libs creates .deps used by libs.)
-export:: libs
+export::
+	@$(MAKE) libs