diff --git a/make/projects-dir.mk b/make/projects-dir.mk
index b59fbf9c..3a1555cd 100644
--- a/make/projects-dir.mk
+++ b/make/projects-dir.mk
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-CVS_PROJECTS = $(dir $(wildcard */CVS))
-
 ifneq ($(wildcard projects.txt),)
-PROJECTS = $(shell cat projects.txt | sed '/^ *#/ d')
+PROJECTS = $(shell cat projects.txt | sed '/^ *\#/ d')
+# TODO: this could be nicer
+CVS_PROJECTS = $(PROJECTS)
 else
-PROJECTS = fill me
+PROJECTS = $(dir $(wildcard */CVS */.git))
+CVS_PROJECTS = $(dir $(wildcard */CVS))
 endif
 
 WHOAMI = $(shell id -un)