diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3d930d450c..b3132f4cf7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ EXAMPLES_FILES := $(wildcard $(SRC_PATH)/doc/examples/*.c) $(SRC_PATH)/doc/examp
 SKIPHEADERS = cmdutils_common_opts.h                                    \
               compat/w32pthreads.h
 
+# first so "all" becomes default target
+all: all-yes
+
 include $(SRC_PATH)/tools/Makefile
 include $(SRC_PATH)/common.mak
 
diff --git a/common.mak b/common.mak
index b7f951cb98..adaf398a57 100644
--- a/common.mak
+++ b/common.mak
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@
 # common bits used by all libraries
 #
 
-# first so "all" becomes default target
-all: all-yes
-
 DEFAULT_YASMD=.dbg
 
 ifeq ($(DBG),1)