diff --git a/make/defs.mk b/make/defs.mk
index 8bc449e3..066a83d6 100644
--- a/make/defs.mk
+++ b/make/defs.mk
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ endif
 
 # makefile helpers
 FIND_SUBDIRS           = $(filter-out . .. ./nomake ./CVS $(addprefix ./,$(IGNORE_SUBDIRS)), $(shell find . -maxdepth 1 -type d))
+SUBDIRS_TO_ITERATE     = $(filter-out $(IGNORE_SUBDIRS),$(SUBDIRS))
 
 # compiler and linker
 GCC_VERSION            = $(shell  gcc -v 2>&1 | grep version | awk '{ print $$3;}')