diff --git a/make/dirs.mk b/make/dirs.mk
index 632bb651..18f3414c 100644
--- a/make/dirs.mk
+++ b/make/dirs.mk
@@ -58,12 +58,14 @@ 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 $*; done
 ifneq ($(DONT_CHECK_PREREQ_DONE),true)
 	touch $@
 endif
 
 dirs-%.done:
+	touch dirs-started-$*.done
 	set -e; for d in $(SUBDIRS) ; do make -wC $$d $*; done
 ifneq ($(DONT_CHECK_PREREQ_DONE),true)
 	touch $@
@@ -85,7 +87,7 @@ endif
 
 dirs.clean:
 	set -e; for d in $(SUBDIRS) ; do make -wC $$d clean; done
-	rm -rf $(TEXTCLEAN) $(CLEAN) *.done *~ .*.swp *.tmp core *.rep
+	rm -rf $(TEXTCLEAN) $(CLEAN) *.done *~ .*.swp *.tmp core *.rep dirs-started-*.done
 
 dirs.distclean:
 	set -e; for d in $(SUBDIRS) ; do make -wC $$d distclean; done