diff --git a/Common.mak b/Common.mak
index c7900dc3e..a1025e08c 100644
--- a/Common.mak
+++ b/Common.mak
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ SYNTHESIS := 0
 override empty :=
 override space := $(empty) $(empty)
 override comma := ,
+override paren_open := (
+override paren_close := )
 
 
 ##### Detect platform
@@ -107,6 +109,7 @@ endif
 DONT_PRINT := > $(NULLSTREAM) 2>&1
 DONT_PRINT_STDERR := 2> $(NULLSTREAM)
 DONT_FAIL := ; exit 0
+ESCAPE=\\
 
 HAVE_SH := 1
 # when no sh.exe is found in PATH on Windows, no path is prepended to it
@@ -129,9 +132,13 @@ endef
 define CAT
     cat $1
 endef
+define RAW_ECHO
+    echo '$1'
+endef
 
 ifeq (0,$(HAVE_SH))
     DONT_FAIL := & rem
+    ESCAPE=^
 
     define LL
         dir $(subst /,\,$1)
@@ -146,7 +153,10 @@ ifeq (0,$(HAVE_SH))
         rmdir /s /q $(subst /,\,$(filter-out / *,$1)) $(DONT_PRINT_STDERR) $(DONT_FAIL)
     endef
     define CAT
-        type $1
+        type $(subst /,\,$1)
+    endef
+    define RAW_ECHO
+        echo $(subst ",$(ESCAPE)",$(subst $(paren_open),$(ESCAPE)$(paren_open),$(subst $(paren_close),$(ESCAPE)$(paren_close),$1)))
     endef
 
     # if, printf, exit, and ; are unavailable without sh
diff --git a/GNUmakefile b/GNUmakefile
index f77cfabd8..746bf8bad 100644
--- a/GNUmakefile
+++ b/GNUmakefile
@@ -1008,16 +1008,16 @@ $$($1_obj)/%.$$o: $$($1_src)/%.mm | $$($1_obj)
 	$$(COMPILE_STATUS)
 	$$(RECIPE_IF) $$(COMPILER_OBJCXX) $$($1_cflags) -c $$< -o $$@ $$(RECIPE_RESULT_COMPILE)
 
-$$($1_obj)/%.$$o: $$($1_obj)/%.c
+$$($1_obj)/%.$$o: $$($1_obj)/%.c | $$($1_obj)
 	$$(COMPILE_STATUS)
 	$$(RECIPE_IF) $$(COMPILER_C) $$($1_cflags) -c $$< -o $$@ $$(RECIPE_RESULT_COMPILE)
 
-$$($1_obj)/%.$$o: $$($1_src)/%.glsl | $$($1_src)/generated
-	echo "Creating header from "$$<
-	echo "char const *$$(basename $$(<F)) = R\"shader(" > $$(<D)/generated/$$(<F).h
-	$$(CAT) $$< >> $$(<D)/generated/$$(<F).h
-	echo ")shader\";" >> $$(<D)/generated/$$(<F).h
-	echo " " | $$(COMPILER_CXX) $$($1_cflags) -x c++ -c - -o $$@
+$$($1_obj)/%.$$o: $$($1_src)/%.glsl | $$($1_obj) $$($1_src)/generated
+	@echo Creating $$(<D)/generated/$$(<F).h from $$<
+	@$$(call RAW_ECHO,char const *$$(basename $$(<F)) = R"shader$$(paren_open)) > $$(<D)/generated/$$(<F).h
+	@$$(call CAT,$$<) >> $$(<D)/generated/$$(<F).h
+	@$$(call RAW_ECHO,$$(paren_close)shader";) >> $$(<D)/generated/$$(<F).h
+	@$$(COMPILER_CXX) $$($1_cflags) -x c++ -c $$($1_src)/empty.cpp -o $$@
 
 ## Cosmetic stuff
 
@@ -1052,7 +1052,7 @@ $(engine_obj)/rev.$o: $(engine_src)/rev.cpp | $(engine_obj)
 
 ### Directories
 
-$(foreach i,$(components),$($i_obj)):
+$(foreach i,$(components),$($i_obj)) $(foreach i,$(components),$($i_src)/generated):
 	-$(call MKDIR,$@)
 
 ### Phonies
diff --git a/source/build/src/empty.cpp b/source/build/src/empty.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb