diff --git a/contrib/scalar/Makefile b/contrib/scalar/Makefile
index 231b1ee1796..1e9b969f3df 100644
--- a/contrib/scalar/Makefile
+++ b/contrib/scalar/Makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+# The default target of this Makefile is...
+all::
+
+include ../../config.mak.uname
+-include ../../config.mak.autogen
+-include ../../config.mak
+
 QUIET_SUBDIR0  = +$(MAKE) -C # space to separate -C and subdir
 QUIET_SUBDIR1  =
 
@@ -12,12 +19,6 @@ else
 endif
 endif
 
-all:
-
-include ../../config.mak.uname
--include ../../config.mak.autogen
--include ../../config.mak
-
 TARGETS = scalar$(X) scalar.o
 GITLIBS = ../../common-main.o ../../libgit.a ../../xdiff/lib.a