diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b4e33736..bfba8fd0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ LIB=lib
 INSTALL=install
 MKDIR=mkdir
 
-ifneq (,$(findstring $(PLATFORM), linux gnu_kfreebsd kfreebsd-gnu))
+ifneq (,$(findstring "$(PLATFORM)", "linux" "gnu_kfreebsd" "kfreebsd-gnu"))
 
   ifeq ($(ARCH),axp)
     ARCH=alpha