diff --git a/defaultenv/Makefile b/defaultenv/Makefile
index f313b04..950ac29 100644
--- a/defaultenv/Makefile
+++ b/defaultenv/Makefile
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@
 quiet_cmd_env_default = ENV     $@
 cmd_env_default = ($(srctree)/scripts/genenv $(srctree) $(objtree) $@ $(CONFIG_DEFAULT_ENVIRONMENT_PATH))
 
+# genenv is always called, but only generates output when the file actually
+# changes, so that the dependent targets are not unnecessarily rebuilt
 $(obj)/barebox_default_env: FORCE
-	$(call if_changed,env_default)
+	$(call cmd,env_default)
 
 quiet_cmd_env_h = ENVH    $@
 cmd_env_h = cat $< | (cd $(obj) && $(objtree)/scripts/bin2c "__aligned(4) default_environment") > $@; \
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.lib b/scripts/Makefile.lib
index 7b8643b..f5dcec4 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.lib
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.lib
@@ -324,8 +324,10 @@
 quiet_cmd_env = ENV     $@
 cmd_env=$(srctree)/scripts/genenv $(srctree) $(objtree) $@ $<
 
+# genenv is always called, but only generates output when the file actually
+# changes, so that the dependent targets are not unnecessarily rebuilt
 %.bbenv$(DEFAULT_COMPRESSION_SUFFIX): % FORCE
-	$(call if_changed,env)
+	$(call cmd,env)
 
 # Bzip2
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------