diff --git a/Makefile.libcompat b/Makefile.libcompat
index 05e77a980b6a..11668bf54eda 100644
--- a/Makefile.libcompat
+++ b/Makefile.libcompat
@@ -39,6 +39,46 @@ LIBCOMPATIMAKE+=	${LIBCOMPATWMAKE:NINSTALL=*:NDESTDIR=*} \
 			MK_INCLUDES=no \
 			-DLIBRARIES_ONLY
 
+# Shared logic
+build${libcompat}: .PHONY
+	@echo
+	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
+	@echo ">>> stage 4.3: building lib${libcompat} shim libraries"
+	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
+	${WORLDTMP_MTREE} -f ${.CURDIR}/etc/mtree/BSD.lib${libcompat}.dist \
+	    -p ${WORLDTMP}/usr >/dev/null
+.if ${MK_DEBUG_FILES} != "no"
+	${WORLDTMP_MTREE} -f ${.CURDIR}/etc/mtree/BSD.lib${libcompat}.dist \
+	    -p ${WORLDTMP}/usr/lib/debug/usr >/dev/null
+.endif
+	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}; \
+	    WORLDTMP=${WORLDTMP} \
+	    MAKEFLAGS="-m ${.CURDIR}/tools/build/mk ${.MAKEFLAGS}" \
+	    ${MAKE} -f Makefile.inc1 \
+	    DESTDIR= \
+	    OBJTOP=${LIBCOMPAT_OBJTOP} \
+	    OBJROOT='$${OBJTOP}/' \
+	    MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX= \
+	    -DNO_LINT \
+	    -DNO_CPU_CFLAGS \
+	    MK_ASAN=no \
+	    MK_CTF=no \
+	    MK_RETPOLINE=no \
+	    MK_SSP=no \
+	    MK_UBSAN=no \
+	    MK_WERROR=no \
+	    _lc_build-tools
+	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}; \
+	    ${LIBCOMPATWMAKE} -f Makefile.inc1 -DNO_FSCHG libraries
+
+distribute${libcompat} install${libcompat}: .PHONY
+	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}; \
+	    ${LIBCOMPATIMAKE} -f Makefile.inc1 _lc_${.TARGET:S/${libcompat}$//}
+
+# These depend on MK_*, which could vary between the native and compat
+# architectures. Thus targets using them are run within a compat sub-make
+# rather than the native make environment.
+
 _LC_LIBDIRS.yes=		lib
 _LC_LIBDIRS.yes+=		gnu/lib
 _LC_LIBDIRS.${MK_CDDL:tl}+=	cddl/lib
@@ -52,46 +92,16 @@ _libmagic=	lib/libmagic
 _jevents=	lib/libpmc/pmu-events
 .endif
 
-
-# Shared logic
-build${libcompat}: .PHONY
-	@echo
-	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
-	@echo ">>> stage 4.3: building lib${libcompat} shim libraries"
-	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
-	${WORLDTMP_MTREE} -f ${.CURDIR}/etc/mtree/BSD.lib${libcompat}.dist \
-	    -p ${WORLDTMP}/usr >/dev/null
-.if ${MK_DEBUG_FILES} != "no"
-	${WORLDTMP_MTREE} -f ${.CURDIR}/etc/mtree/BSD.lib${libcompat}.dist \
-	    -p ${WORLDTMP}/usr/lib/debug/usr >/dev/null
-.endif
+_lc_build-tools:
 .for _dir in lib/ncurses/tinfo ${_libmagic} ${_jevents}
 .for _t in ${_obj} build-tools
-	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/${_dir}; \
-	    WORLDTMP=${WORLDTMP} \
-	    MAKEFLAGS="-m ${.CURDIR}/tools/build/mk ${.MAKEFLAGS}" \
-	    ${MAKE} DESTDIR= \
-	    OBJTOP=${LIBCOMPAT_OBJTOP} \
-	    OBJROOT='$${OBJTOP}/' \
-	    MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX= \
-	    DIRPRFX=${_dir}/ \
-	    -DNO_LINT \
-	    -DNO_CPU_CFLAGS \
-	    MK_ASAN=no \
-	    MK_CTF=no \
-	    MK_RETPOLINE=no \
-	    MK_SSP=no \
-	    MK_UBSAN=no \
-	    MK_WERROR=no \
-	    ${_t}
+	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/${_dir}; ${MAKE} DIRPRFX=${_dir}/ ${_t}
 .endfor
 .endfor
-	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}; \
-	    ${LIBCOMPATWMAKE} -f Makefile.inc1 -DNO_FSCHG libraries
 
-distribute${libcompat} install${libcompat}: .PHONY
+_lc_distribute _lc_install:
 .for _dir in ${_LC_LIBDIRS.yes}
-	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/${_dir}; ${LIBCOMPATIMAKE} ${.TARGET:S/${libcompat}$//}
+	${_+_}cd ${.CURDIR}/${_dir}; ${MAKE} ${.TARGET:S/^_lc_//}
 .endfor
 
 .endif # !targets(__<${_this:T}>__)