diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 231d71b5f5df..bd267162386a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -321,8 +321,9 @@ universe_${target}:
 	@echo ">> ${target} completed on `LC_ALL=C date`"
 .endfor
 universe_kernels: universe_kernconfs
-XMACHINE!=	uname -m
-TARGET?=	${XMACHINE}
+.if !defined(TARGET)
+TARGET!=	uname -m
+.endif
 KERNCONFS!=	cd ${.CURDIR}/sys/${TARGET}/conf && \
 		find [A-Z0-9]*[A-Z0-9] -type f -maxdepth 0 \
 		! -name DEFAULTS ! -name NOTES