diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f0ac8a3..e75e326 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,13 +3,15 @@
 # This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
 # the terms of the BSD 3-Clause license. See the accompanying LICENSE file.
 
+.PHONY: all clean
+
 all:
-	cd src/; make -f Makefile.generic -j; cd ..;
-	cd test-self; make -f Makefile.generic -j; cd ..;
-	cd test-cblas; make -f Makefile.generic -j; cd ..;
-	cd test-blaspp; make -f Makefile.generic -j; cd ..;
+	$(MAKE) -C src -f Makefile.generic
+	$(MAKE) -C test-self -f Makefile.generic
+	$(MAKE) -C test-cblas -f Makefile.generic
+	$(MAKE) -C test-blaspp -f Makefile.generic
 clean:
-	cd src/; make -f Makefile.generic clean; cd ..;
-	cd test-self; make -f Makefile.generic clean; cd ..;
-	cd test-cblas; make -f Makefile.generic clean; cd ..;
-	cd test-blaspp; make -f Makefile.generic clean; cd ..;
+	$(MAKE) -C src -f Makefile.generic $@
+	$(MAKE) -C test-self -f Makefile.generic $@
+	$(MAKE) -C test-cblas -f Makefile.generic $@
+	$(MAKE) -C test-blaspp -f Makefile.generic $@
diff --git a/src/Makefile.generic b/src/Makefile.generic
index d3592fa..40eb23d 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.generic
+++ b/src/Makefile.generic
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 include ../Makefile.generic.inc
 
+.PHONY: all clean tar
 
 ## dependencies
 
diff --git a/test-blaspp/Makefile.generic b/test-blaspp/Makefile.generic
index 9e2e0e1..0d3382f 100644
--- a/test-blaspp/Makefile.generic
+++ b/test-blaspp/Makefile.generic
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ OBJS = $(SRCS:%.cc=%.o)
 CXXFLAGS += -I$(TESTSWEEPER)
 EXEC = tester
 
+.PHONY: all clean
+
 all: $(EXEC)
 
 tester: $(OBJS)
diff --git a/test-cblas/Makefile.generic b/test-cblas/Makefile.generic
index c6621e5..58156a5 100644
--- a/test-cblas/Makefile.generic
+++ b/test-cblas/Makefile.generic
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ OBJS = $(SRCS:%.cc=%.o)
 CXXFLAGS += -I$(TESTSWEEPER)
 EXEC = tester
 
+.PHONY: all clean
+
 all: $(EXEC)
 
 tester: $(OBJS)
diff --git a/test-self/Makefile.generic b/test-self/Makefile.generic
index bea1e32..dcfe588 100644
--- a/test-self/Makefile.generic
+++ b/test-self/Makefile.generic
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ SRCS = mixedp_add_test.cpp \
 OBJS = $(SRCS:%.cpp=%.o)
 EXEC = $(SRCS:%.cpp=%)
 
+.PHONY: all clean
+
 all: $(EXEC)
 
 mixedp_add_test.o : mixedp_add_test.cpp test_util.hpp