diff --git a/make/dirs.mk b/make/dirs.mk
index d7593be1..d0d6a5ac 100644
--- a/make/dirs.mk
+++ b/make/dirs.mk
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ install: dirs-install.done
 clean: dirs.clean
 distclean: dirs.clean dirs.distclean
 
+subdirs-%:
+	FORCE_REBUILD_SUBDIRS=true make $*
+
 define subdir_rule
 
 $(1): dirs-$(1).done