diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a120aabac6..d830483685 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -148,10 +148,6 @@ endif
 
 all: $(DOCS) $(TOOLS) $(HELPERS-y) recurse-all modules
 
-vl.o: QEMU_CFLAGS+=$(GPROF_CFLAGS)
-
-vl.o: QEMU_CFLAGS+=$(SDL_CFLAGS)
-
 config-host.h: config-host.h-timestamp
 config-host.h-timestamp: config-host.mak
 qemu-options.def: $(SRC_PATH)/qemu-options.hx
@@ -195,8 +191,6 @@ ALL_SUBDIRS=$(TARGET_DIRS) $(patsubst %,pc-bios/%, $(ROMS))
 
 recurse-all: $(SUBDIR_RULES) $(ROMSUBDIR_RULES)
 
-bt-host.o: QEMU_CFLAGS += $(BLUEZ_CFLAGS)
-
 $(BUILD_DIR)/version.o: $(SRC_PATH)/version.rc $(BUILD_DIR)/config-host.h | $(BUILD_DIR)/version.lo
 	$(call quiet-command,$(WINDRES) -I$(BUILD_DIR) -o $@ $<,"  RC    version.o")
 $(BUILD_DIR)/version.lo: $(SRC_PATH)/version.rc $(BUILD_DIR)/config-host.h
@@ -384,17 +378,25 @@ install: all $(if $(BUILD_DOCS),install-doc) install-sysconfig \
 install-datadir install-localstatedir
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)"
 ifneq ($(TOOLS),)
-	$(INSTALL_PROG) $(STRIP_OPT) $(TOOLS) "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)"
+	$(INSTALL_PROG) $(TOOLS) "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)"
+ifneq ($(STRIP),)
+	$(STRIP) $(TOOLS:%="$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/%")
+endif
 endif
 ifneq ($(CONFIG_MODULES),)
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) "$(DESTDIR)$(qemu_moddir)"
-	for s in $(patsubst %.mo,%$(DSOSUF),$(modules-m)); do \
-		$(INSTALL_PROG) $(STRIP_OPT) $$s "$(DESTDIR)$(qemu_moddir)/$$(echo $$s | tr / -)"; \
+	for s in $(modules-m:.mo=$(DSOSUF)); do \
+		t="$(DESTDIR)$(qemu_moddir)/$$(echo $$s | tr / -)"; \
+		$(INSTALL_LIB) $$s "$$t"; \
+		test -z "$(STRIP)" || $(STRIP) "$$t"; \
 	done
 endif
 ifneq ($(HELPERS-y),)
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) "$(DESTDIR)$(libexecdir)"
-	$(INSTALL_PROG) $(STRIP_OPT) $(HELPERS-y) "$(DESTDIR)$(libexecdir)"
+	$(INSTALL_PROG) $(HELPERS-y) "$(DESTDIR)$(libexecdir)"
+ifneq ($(STRIP),)
+	$(STRIP) $(HELPERS-y:%="$(DESTDIR)$(libexecdir)/%")
+endif
 endif
 ifneq ($(BLOBS),)
 	set -e; for x in $(BLOBS); do \
diff --git a/Makefile.objs b/Makefile.objs
index a6e0e2aacc..b897e1dc34 100644
--- a/Makefile.objs
+++ b/Makefile.objs
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ libcacard-y += libcacard/vcard_emul_nss.o
 libcacard-y += libcacard/vcard_emul_type.o
 libcacard-y += libcacard/card_7816.o
 libcacard-y += libcacard/vcardt.o
+libcacard/vcard_emul_nss.o-cflags := $(NSS_CFLAGS)
+libcacard/vcard_emul_nss.o-libs := $(NSS_LIBS)
 
 ######################################################################
 # Target independent part of system emulation. The long term path is to
@@ -64,9 +66,11 @@ common-obj-y += hw/
 
 common-obj-y += ui/
 common-obj-y += bt-host.o bt-vhci.o
+bt-host.o-cflags := $(BLUEZ_CFLAGS)
 
 common-obj-y += dma-helpers.o
 common-obj-y += vl.o
+vl.o-cflags := $(GPROF_CFLAGS) $(SDL_CFLAGS)
 common-obj-y += tpm.o
 
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_SLIRP) += slirp/
diff --git a/Makefile.target b/Makefile.target
index 6d8fde8b9e..9986047545 100644
--- a/Makefile.target
+++ b/Makefile.target
@@ -16,19 +16,22 @@ QEMU_CFLAGS+=-I$(SRC_PATH)/include
 ifdef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
 # user emulator name
 QEMU_PROG=qemu-$(TARGET_NAME)
+QEMU_PROG_BUILD = $(QEMU_PROG)
 else
 # system emulator name
+QEMU_PROG=qemu-system-$(TARGET_NAME)$(EXESUF)
 ifneq (,$(findstring -mwindows,$(libs_softmmu)))
 # Terminate program name with a 'w' because the linker builds a windows executable.
 QEMU_PROGW=qemu-system-$(TARGET_NAME)w$(EXESUF)
-endif # windows executable
-QEMU_PROG=qemu-system-$(TARGET_NAME)$(EXESUF)
+$(QEMU_PROG): $(QEMU_PROGW)
+	$(call quiet-command,$(OBJCOPY) --subsystem console $(QEMU_PROGW) $(QEMU_PROG),"  GEN   $(TARGET_DIR)$(QEMU_PROG)")
+QEMU_PROG_BUILD = $(QEMU_PROGW)
+else
+QEMU_PROG_BUILD = $(QEMU_PROG)
+endif
 endif
 
-PROGS=$(QEMU_PROG)
-ifdef QEMU_PROGW
-PROGS+=$(QEMU_PROGW)
-endif
+PROGS=$(QEMU_PROG) $(QEMU_PROGW)
 STPFILES=
 
 config-target.h: config-target.h-timestamp
@@ -140,10 +143,7 @@ endif # CONFIG_SOFTMMU
 %/translate.o: QEMU_CFLAGS += $(TRANSLATE_OPT_CFLAGS)
 
 dummy := $(call unnest-vars,,obj-y)
-
-# we are making another call to unnest-vars with different vars, protect obj-y,
-# it can be overriden in subdir Makefile.objs
-obj-y-save := $(obj-y)
+all-obj-y := $(obj-y)
 
 block-obj-y :=
 common-obj-y :=
@@ -153,27 +153,16 @@ dummy := $(call unnest-vars,.., \
                block-obj-m \
                common-obj-y \
                common-obj-m)
-
-# Now restore obj-y
-obj-y := $(obj-y-save)
-
-all-obj-y = $(obj-y) $(common-obj-y)
+all-obj-y += $(common-obj-y)
 all-obj-$(CONFIG_SOFTMMU) += $(block-obj-y)
 
 ifndef CONFIG_HAIKU
 LIBS+=-lm
 endif
 
-ifdef QEMU_PROGW
-# The linker builds a windows executable. Make also a console executable.
-$(QEMU_PROGW): $(all-obj-y) ../libqemuutil.a ../libqemustub.a
+# build either PROG or PROGW
+$(QEMU_PROG_BUILD): $(all-obj-y) ../libqemuutil.a ../libqemustub.a
 	$(call LINK,$^)
-$(QEMU_PROG): $(QEMU_PROGW)
-	$(call quiet-command,$(OBJCOPY) --subsystem console $(QEMU_PROGW) $(QEMU_PROG),"  GEN   $(TARGET_DIR)$(QEMU_PROG)")
-else
-$(QEMU_PROG): $(all-obj-y) ../libqemuutil.a ../libqemustub.a
-	$(call LINK,$^)
-endif
 
 gdbstub-xml.c: $(TARGET_XML_FILES) $(SRC_PATH)/scripts/feature_to_c.sh
 	$(call quiet-command,rm -f $@ && $(SHELL) $(SRC_PATH)/scripts/feature_to_c.sh $@ $(TARGET_XML_FILES),"  GEN   $(TARGET_DIR)$@")
@@ -194,9 +183,9 @@ endif
 
 install: all
 ifneq ($(PROGS),)
-	$(INSTALL) -m 755 $(PROGS) "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)"
+	$(INSTALL_PROG) $(PROGS) "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)"
 ifneq ($(STRIP),)
-	$(STRIP) $(patsubst %,"$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/%",$(PROGS))
+	$(STRIP) $(PROGS:%="$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/%")
 endif
 endif
 ifdef CONFIG_TRACE_SYSTEMTAP
diff --git a/audio/Makefile.objs b/audio/Makefile.objs
index d71a877249..26a0ac9507 100644
--- a/audio/Makefile.objs
+++ b/audio/Makefile.objs
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ common-obj-$(CONFIG_AUDIO_WIN_INT) += audio_win_int.o
 common-obj-y += wavcapture.o
 
 $(obj)/audio.o $(obj)/fmodaudio.o: QEMU_CFLAGS += $(FMOD_CFLAGS)
-$(obj)/sdlaudio.o: QEMU_CFLAGS += $(SDL_CFLAGS)
+sdlaudio.o-cflags := $(SDL_CFLAGS)
diff --git a/backends/Makefile.objs b/backends/Makefile.objs
index 42557d54ea..591ddcf6f3 100644
--- a/backends/Makefile.objs
+++ b/backends/Makefile.objs
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@ common-obj-$(CONFIG_POSIX) += rng-random.o
 
 common-obj-y += msmouse.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_BRLAPI) += baum.o
-$(obj)/baum.o: QEMU_CFLAGS += $(SDL_CFLAGS) 
+baum.o-cflags := $(SDL_CFLAGS)
 
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_TPM) += tpm.o
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 3c11dd00d2..6adfa72909 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -3470,10 +3470,10 @@ if test "$smartcard_nss" != "no"; then
 #include <pk11pub.h>
 int main(void) { PK11_FreeSlot(0); return 0; }
 EOF
-    smartcard_includes="-I\$(SRC_PATH)/libcacard"
-    libcacard_libs="$($pkg_config --libs nss 2>/dev/null) $glib_libs"
-    libcacard_cflags="$($pkg_config --cflags nss 2>/dev/null) $glib_cflags"
-    test_cflags="$libcacard_cflags"
+    # FIXME: do not include $glib_* in here
+    nss_libs="$($pkg_config --libs nss 2>/dev/null) $glib_libs"
+    nss_cflags="$($pkg_config --cflags nss 2>/dev/null) $glib_cflags"
+    test_cflags="$nss_cflags"
     # The header files in nss < 3.13.3 have a bug which causes them to
     # emit a warning. If we're going to compile QEMU with -Werror, then
     # test that the headers don't have this bug. Otherwise we would pass
@@ -3483,11 +3483,8 @@ EOF
     fi
     if test -n "$libtool" &&
        $pkg_config --atleast-version=3.12.8 nss && \
-      compile_prog "$test_cflags" "$libcacard_libs"; then
+      compile_prog "$test_cflags" "$nss_libs"; then
         smartcard_nss="yes"
-        QEMU_CFLAGS="$QEMU_CFLAGS $libcacard_cflags"
-        QEMU_INCLUDES="$QEMU_INCLUDES $smartcard_includes"
-        libs_softmmu="$libcacard_libs $libs_softmmu"
     else
         if test "$smartcard_nss" = "yes"; then
             feature_not_found "nss"
@@ -4501,8 +4498,8 @@ fi
 
 if test "$smartcard_nss" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_SMARTCARD_NSS=y" >> $config_host_mak
-  echo "libcacard_libs=$libcacard_libs" >> $config_host_mak
-  echo "libcacard_cflags=$libcacard_cflags" >> $config_host_mak
+  echo "NSS_LIBS=$nss_libs" >> $config_host_mak
+  echo "NSS_CFLAGS=$nss_cflags" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
 
 if test "$libusb" = "yes" ; then
diff --git a/disas/Makefile.objs b/disas/Makefile.objs
index 41c237424a..8dae4daec0 100644
--- a/disas/Makefile.objs
+++ b/disas/Makefile.objs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ common-obj-$(CONFIG_ARM_DIS) += arm.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_ARM_A64_DIS) += arm-a64.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_ARM_A64_DIS) += libvixl/
 libvixldir = $(SRC_PATH)/disas/libvixl
-$(obj)/arm-a64.o: QEMU_CFLAGS += -I$(libvixldir)
+arm-a64.o-cflags := -I$(libvixldir)
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_CRIS_DIS) += cris.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_HPPA_DIS) += hppa.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_I386_DIS) += i386.o
diff --git a/hw/usb/Makefile.objs b/hw/usb/Makefile.objs
index 17d460cb04..3fe4dff3bd 100644
--- a/hw/usb/Makefile.objs
+++ b/hw/usb/Makefile.objs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_USB_SMARTCARD),y)
 common-obj-y                          += dev-smartcard-reader.o
 common-obj-y                          += ccid-card-passthru.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_SMARTCARD_NSS)    += ccid-card-emulated.o
+ccid-card-emulated.o-cflags := -I$(SRC_PATH)/libcacard
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_POSIX),y)
diff --git a/libcacard/Makefile b/libcacard/Makefile
index 6b064485fa..881b222f93 100644
--- a/libcacard/Makefile
+++ b/libcacard/Makefile
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ vscclient$(EXESUF): libcacard/vscclient.o libcacard.la
 
 libcacard.la: LDFLAGS += -rpath $(libdir) -no-undefined \
 	-export-syms $(SRC_PATH)/libcacard/libcacard.syms
-libcacard.la: LIBS = $(libcacard_libs)
 libcacard.la: $(libcacard-lobj-y)
 	$(call LINK,$^)
 
diff --git a/rules.mak b/rules.mak
index 5c454d80d5..b12d3125d3 100644
--- a/rules.mak
+++ b/rules.mak
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ LINK = $(call quiet-command,$(LINKPROG) $(QEMU_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o $
 else
 LIBTOOL += $(if $(V),,--quiet)
 %.lo: %.c
-	$(call quiet-command,$(LIBTOOL) --mode=compile --tag=CC $(CC) $(QEMU_INCLUDES) $(QEMU_CFLAGS) $(QEMU_DGFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<,"  lt CC $@")
+	$(call quiet-command,$(LIBTOOL) --mode=compile --tag=CC $(CC) $(QEMU_INCLUDES) $(QEMU_CFLAGS) $(QEMU_DGFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $($*.o-cflags) -c -o $@ $<,"  lt CC $@")
 %.lo: %.rc
 	$(call quiet-command,$(LIBTOOL) --mode=compile --tag=RC $(WINDRES) -I. -o $@ $<,"lt RC   $(TARGET_DIR)$@")
 %.lo: %.dtrace
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ LINK = $(call quiet-command,\
        $(call expand-objs,$1) \
        $(if $(filter %.lo %.la,$1),$(version-lobj-y),$(version-obj-y)) \
        $(if $(filter %.lo %.la,$1),$(LIBTOOLFLAGS)) \
-       $(call extract-libs,$1) $(LIBS),$(if $(filter %.lo %.la,$1),"lt LINK ", "  LINK  ")"$(TARGET_DIR)$@")
+       $(call extract-libs,$(1:.lo=.o)) $(LIBS),$(if $(filter %.lo %.la,$1),"lt LINK ", "  LINK  ")"$(TARGET_DIR)$@")
 endif
 
 %.asm: %.S
@@ -67,13 +67,13 @@ endif
 	$(call quiet-command,$(AS) $(ASFLAGS) -o $@ $<,"  AS    $(TARGET_DIR)$@")
 
 %.o: %.cc
-	$(call quiet-command,$(CXX) $(QEMU_INCLUDES) $(QEMU_CXXFLAGS) $(QEMU_DGFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<,"  CXX   $(TARGET_DIR)$@")
+	$(call quiet-command,$(CXX) $(QEMU_INCLUDES) $(QEMU_CXXFLAGS) $(QEMU_DGFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $($@-cflags) -c -o $@ $<,"  CXX   $(TARGET_DIR)$@")
 
 %.o: %.cpp
-	$(call quiet-command,$(CXX) $(QEMU_INCLUDES) $(QEMU_CXXFLAGS) $(QEMU_DGFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<,"  CXX   $(TARGET_DIR)$@")
+	$(call quiet-command,$(CXX) $(QEMU_INCLUDES) $(QEMU_CXXFLAGS) $(QEMU_DGFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $($@-cflags) -c -o $@ $<,"  CXX   $(TARGET_DIR)$@")
 
 %.o: %.m
-	$(call quiet-command,$(OBJCC) $(QEMU_INCLUDES) $(QEMU_CFLAGS) $(QEMU_DGFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<,"  OBJC  $(TARGET_DIR)$@")
+	$(call quiet-command,$(OBJCC) $(QEMU_INCLUDES) $(QEMU_CFLAGS) $(QEMU_DGFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $($@-cflags) -c -o $@ $<,"  OBJC  $(TARGET_DIR)$@")
 
 %.o: %.dtrace
 	$(call quiet-command,dtrace -o $@ -G -s $<, "  GEN   $(TARGET_DIR)$@")
@@ -175,16 +175,16 @@ $(eval save-$2-$1 :=)
 endef
 
 define fix-obj-vars
-$(foreach v,$($1), \
+$(if $2, $(foreach v,$($1), \
 	$(if $($v-cflags), \
-		$(eval $2$v-cflags := $($v-cflags)) \
+		$(eval $2/$v-cflags := $($v-cflags)) \
 		$(eval $v-cflags := )) \
 	$(if $($v-libs), \
-		$(eval $2$v-libs := $($v-libs)) \
+		$(eval $2/$v-libs := $($v-libs)) \
 		$(eval $v-libs := )) \
 	$(if $($v-objs), \
-		$(eval $2$v-objs := $(addprefix $2,$($v-objs))) \
-		$(eval $v-objs := )))
+		$(eval $2/$v-objs := $(addprefix $2/,$($v-objs))) \
+		$(eval $v-objs := ))))
 endef
 
 define unnest-dir
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ $(foreach var,$(nested-vars),$(call push-var,$(var),$1/))
 $(eval obj-parent-$1 := $(obj))
 $(eval obj := $(if $(obj),$(obj)/$1,$1))
 $(eval include $(SRC_PATH)/$1/Makefile.objs)
-$(foreach v,$(nested-vars),$(call fix-obj-vars,$v,$(if $(obj),$(obj)/)))
+$(foreach v,$(nested-vars),$(call fix-obj-vars,$v,$(obj)))
 $(eval obj := $(obj-parent-$1))
 $(eval obj-parent-$1 := )
 $(foreach var,$(nested-vars),$(call pop-var,$(var),$1/))
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ endef
 define unnest-vars
 $(eval obj := $1)
 $(eval nested-vars := $2)
+$(foreach v,$(nested-vars),$(call fix-obj-vars,$v,$(obj)))
 $(eval old-nested-dirs := )
 $(call unnest-vars-1)
 $(if $1,$(foreach v,$(nested-vars),$(eval \
diff --git a/ui/Makefile.objs b/ui/Makefile.objs
index 6f2294efda..4af420bfa8 100644
--- a/ui/Makefile.objs
+++ b/ui/Makefile.objs
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ common-obj-$(CONFIG_GTK) += gtk.o x_keymap.o
 
 $(obj)/sdl.o $(obj)/sdl_zoom.o $(obj)/sdl2.o: QEMU_CFLAGS += $(SDL_CFLAGS)
 
-$(obj)/gtk.o: QEMU_CFLAGS += $(GTK_CFLAGS) $(VTE_CFLAGS)
+gtk.o-cflags := $(GTK_CFLAGS) $(VTE_CFLAGS)