diff --git a/make/dirs.mk b/make/dirs.mk
index a6a6d3d4..f04043c8 100644
--- a/make/dirs.mk
+++ b/make/dirs.mk
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 # contact@jannet.de
 # $Id$
 
+ALLOWED_SUBDIR_TARGETS ?= all install clean distclean test
+
 .NOTPARALLEL:
-.PHONY: $(SUBDIRS_TO_ITERATE) all install clean distclean test
+.PHONY: $(SUBDIRS_TO_ITERATE) $(ALLOWED_SUBDIR_TARGETS)
 
 ifneq ($(FORCE_REBUILD_SUBDIRS),)
 .PHONY: dirs-all.done
@@ -16,14 +18,14 @@ SUBDIRS ?= $(FIND_SUBDIRS)
 
 ifeq ($(SUBDIRS_TO_ITERATE),)
 
-all install clean distclean:
+$(ALLOWED_SUBDIR_TARGETS):
 
 else
 
 ifeq ($(MAKECMDGOALS),)
 SUBDIR_TARGETS = all
 else
-SUBDIR_TARGETS = $(filter all install clean distclean,$(MAKECMDGOALS))
+SUBDIR_TARGETS = $(filter $(ALLOWED_SUBDIR_TARGETS),$(MAKECMDGOALS))
 endif
 
 ifneq ($(DONT_CHECK_PREREQ_DONE),true)
@@ -35,6 +37,14 @@ install: dirs-install.done
 clean: dirs.clean
 distclean: dirs.clean dirs.distclean
 
+define subdir_rule
+
+$(1): dirs-$(1).done
+
+endef
+
+$(foreach t,$(filter-out all install clean distclean,$(ALLOWED_SUBDIR_TARGETS)),$(eval $(call subdir_rule,$(t))))
+
 %/dirs-all.done:
 	@echo $@ needs to be rebuilt
 	exit 1