diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 076efc79..faaaec64 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@ subdirs = compat completion emacs lib
 global_deps = Makefile Makefile.local \
 	$(subdirs:%=%/Makefile) $(subdirs:%=%/Makefile.local)
 
+# Sub-directory Makefile.local fragments can append to these variables
+# to have directory-specific cflags as necessary.
+
+extra_cflags :=
+extra_cxxflags :=
+
 # Finally, include all of the Makefile.local fragments where all the
 # real work is done.
-include Makefile.local $(subdirs:%=%/Makefile.local)
+
+include $(subdirs:%=%/Makefile.local) Makefile.local
diff --git a/Makefile.local b/Makefile.local
index 8b926f8d..fbff9497 100644
--- a/Makefile.local
+++ b/Makefile.local
@@ -33,11 +33,6 @@ Makefile.config: configure
 	@echo ""
 	./configure
 
-# Sub-directory Makefile.local fragments can append to these variables
-# to have directory-specific cflags as necessary.
-extra_cflags :=
-extra_cxxflags :=
-
 # Smash together user's values with our extra values
 FINAL_CFLAGS = -DNOTMUCH_VERSION=$(VERSION) $(CFLAGS) $(WARN_CFLAGS) $(CONFIGURE_CFLAGS) $(extra_cflags)
 FINAL_CXXFLAGS = $(CXXFLAGS) $(WARN_CXXFLAGS) $(CONFIGURE_CXXFLAGS) $(extra_cflags) $(extra_cxxflags)
diff --git a/compat/Makefile.local b/compat/Makefile.local
index 81e6c707..50f6cd19 100644
--- a/compat/Makefile.local
+++ b/compat/Makefile.local
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 dir := compat
 extra_cflags += -I$(dir)
 
-notmuch_compat_srcs =
+notmuch_compat_srcs :=
 
 ifneq ($(HAVE_GETLINE),1)
 notmuch_compat_srcs += $(dir)/getline.c $(dir)/getdelim.c