diff --git a/engine/Makefile b/engine/Makefile
index 5c88edae..3083f133 100644
--- a/engine/Makefile
+++ b/engine/Makefile
@@ -47,10 +47,6 @@ ifndef BUILD_AUTOUPDATER  # DON'T build unless you mean to!
   BUILD_AUTOUPDATER=0
 endif
 
-ifndef BUILD_DEFINES
-  BUILD_DEFINES    =
-endif
-
 # ioquake3 git commit that this is based on
 IOQ3_REVISION = b1e6ef14
 
@@ -1307,7 +1303,8 @@ ifeq ($(USE_LOCAL_HEADERS),1)
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(BUILD_STANDALONE),1)
-  BUILD_DEFINES += -DSTANDALONE
+  BASE_CFLAGS += -DSTANDALONE
+  QVM_CFLAGS += -DSTANDALONE
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(GENERATE_DEPENDENCIES),1)
@@ -1333,8 +1330,6 @@ BASE_CFLAGS += -Wstrict-aliasing=2 -Wmissing-format-attribute
 BASE_CFLAGS += -Wdisabled-optimization
 BASE_CFLAGS += -Werror-implicit-function-declaration
 
-BASE_CFLAGS += $(BUILD_DEFINES)
-
 ifeq ($(V),1)
 echo_cmd=@:
 Q=
@@ -1744,42 +1739,42 @@ $(STRINGIFY): $(TOOLSDIR)/stringify.c
 
 define DO_Q3LCC
 $(echo_cmd) "Q3LCC $<"
-$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(BASEGAME_CFLAGS) $(BUILD_DEFINES) -o $@ $<
+$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(BASEGAME_CFLAGS) $(QVM_CFLAGS) -o $@ $<
 endef
 
 define DO_CGAME_Q3LCC
 $(echo_cmd) "CGAME_Q3LCC $<"
-$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(BASEGAME_CFLAGS) -DCGAME $(BUILD_DEFINES) -o $@ $<
+$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(BASEGAME_CFLAGS) -DCGAME $(QVM_CFLAGS) -o $@ $<
 endef
 
 define DO_GAME_Q3LCC
 $(echo_cmd) "GAME_Q3LCC $<"
-$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(BASEGAME_CFLAGS) -DQAGAME $(BUILD_DEFINES) -o $@ $<
+$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(BASEGAME_CFLAGS) -DQAGAME $(QVM_CFLAGS) -o $@ $<
 endef
 
 define DO_UI_Q3LCC
 $(echo_cmd) "UI_Q3LCC $<"
-$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(BASEGAME_CFLAGS) -DUI $(BUILD_DEFINES) -o $@ $<
+$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(BASEGAME_CFLAGS) -DUI $(QVM_CFLAGS) -o $@ $<
 endef
 
 define DO_Q3LCC_MISSIONPACK
 $(echo_cmd) "Q3LCC_MISSIONPACK $<"
-$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(MISSIONPACK_CFLAGS) $(BUILD_DEFINES) -o $@ $<
+$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(MISSIONPACK_CFLAGS) $(QVM_CFLAGS) -o $@ $<
 endef
 
 define DO_CGAME_Q3LCC_MISSIONPACK
 $(echo_cmd) "CGAME_Q3LCC_MISSIONPACK $<"
-$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(MISSIONPACK_CFLAGS) -DCGAME $(BUILD_DEFINES) -o $@ $<
+$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(MISSIONPACK_CFLAGS) -DCGAME $(QVM_CFLAGS) -o $@ $<
 endef
 
 define DO_GAME_Q3LCC_MISSIONPACK
 $(echo_cmd) "GAME_Q3LCC_MISSIONPACK $<"
-$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(MISSIONPACK_CFLAGS) -DQAGAME $(BUILD_DEFINES) -o $@ $<
+$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(MISSIONPACK_CFLAGS) -DQAGAME $(QVM_CFLAGS) -o $@ $<
 endef
 
 define DO_UI_Q3LCC_MISSIONPACK
 $(echo_cmd) "UI_Q3LCC_MISSIONPACK $<"
-$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(MISSIONPACK_CFLAGS) -DUI $(BUILD_DEFINES) -o $@ $<
+$(Q)$(Q3LCC) $(MISSIONPACK_CFLAGS) -DUI $(QVM_CFLAGS) -o $@ $<
 endef