diff --git a/qmake/generators/makefile.cpp b/qmake/generators/makefile.cpp
index a3e4b117ef..0911bdf18f 100644
--- a/qmake/generators/makefile.cpp
+++ b/qmake/generators/makefile.cpp
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ bool MakefileGenerator::canExecute(const QStringList &cmdline, int *a) const
 
 QString MakefileGenerator::mkdir_p_asstring(const QString &dir, bool escape) const
 {
-    QString ret =  "@$(CHK_DIR_EXISTS) ";
+    QString ret =  "@" + chkdir + " ";
     if(escape)
         ret += escapeFilePath(dir);
     else
@@ -431,6 +431,9 @@ MakefileGenerator::init()
     init_already = true;
 
     QHash<QString, QStringList> &v = project->variables();
+
+    chkdir = v["QMAKE_CHK_DIR_EXISTS"].join(" ");
+
     QStringList &quc = v["QMAKE_EXTRA_COMPILERS"];
 
     //make sure the COMPILERS are in the correct input/output chain order
diff --git a/qmake/generators/makefile.h b/qmake/generators/makefile.h
index 64ed2dd30a..44fba2d93b 100644
--- a/qmake/generators/makefile.h
+++ b/qmake/generators/makefile.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ class MakefileGenerator : protected QMakeSourceFileInfo
     QString spec;
     bool init_opath_already, init_already, no_io;
     QHash<QString, bool> init_compiler_already;
+    QString chkdir;
     QString build_args(const QString &outdir=QString());
     void checkMultipleDefinition(const QString &, const QString &);