diff --git a/make/dirs.mk b/make/dirs.mk
index ce362b0a..d8debd7c 100644
--- a/make/dirs.mk
+++ b/make/dirs.mk
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ endif
 # explicit duplication of pattern-rule is needed, otherwise .PHONY: dirs-all.done won't match
 dirs-all.done:
 	touch dirs-started-all.done
-	set -e; for d in $(SUBDIRS) ; do make -wC $$d $*; done
+	set -e; for d in $(SUBDIRS_TO_ITERATE) ; do make -wC $$d $*; done
 ifneq ($(DONT_CHECK_PREREQ_DONE),true)
 	touch $@
 endif
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ endif
 
 dirs-%.done:
 	touch dirs-started-$*.done
-	set -e; for d in $(SUBDIRS) ; do make -wC $$d $*; done
+	set -e; for d in $(SUBDIRS_TO_ITERATE) ; do make -wC $$d $*; done
 ifneq ($(DONT_CHECK_PREREQ_DONE),true)
 	touch $@
 endif
@@ -95,11 +95,11 @@ dirs-install.done: dirs-all.done
 endif
 
 dirs.clean:
-	set -e; for d in $(call reverse,$(SUBDIRS)) ; do make -wC $$d clean; done
+	set -e; for d in $(call reverse,$(SUBDIRS_TO_ITERATE)) ; do make -wC $$d clean; done
 	$(RM) -rf $(TEXTCLEAN) $(CLEAN) *.done *~ .*.swp *.tmp core *.rep dirs-*.done
 
 dirs.distclean:
-	set -e; for d in $(call reverse,$(SUBDIRS)) ; do make -wC $$d distclean; done
+	set -e; for d in $(call reverse,$(SUBDIRS_TO_ITERATE)) ; do make -wC $$d distclean; done
 	$(RM) -rf $(DISTCLEAN)
 
 endif # SUBDIRS_TO_ITERATE