diff --git a/make/projects-dir-minimal.mk b/make/projects-dir-minimal.mk
index e93c515f..d4f777d5 100644
--- a/make/projects-dir-minimal.mk
+++ b/make/projects-dir-minimal.mk
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # take you there semi-automatically.
 #
 
-PROJECTS_MAKEFILE_NAME      := $(word $(words $(MAKEFILE_LIST)),$(MAKEFILE_LIST))
+PROJECTS_MAKEFILE_NAME      := $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))
 
 -include local.mk
 
@@ -69,11 +69,13 @@ ifneq ($(findstring proactiveAuth,$(GIT_GLOBAL_OPTS)),)
 endif
 	make $(MAKECMDGOALS)
 
+RANDOM_STRING               := some-random-string-to-id-this-makefile
 all: link-makefile.done
 link-makefile.done: | $(JWBDIR)
-	[ -L $(PROJECTS_MAKEFILE_NAME) ] || \
-		ln -sf `git -C $(JWBDIR) ls-files | sed '/\.mk$$/ !d; s|^|$(JWBDIR)/|' | xargs grep -l some-random-string-to-id-this-makefile` \
-			$(PROJECTS_MAKEFILE_NAME)
+	if [ ! -L $(PROJECTS_MAKEFILE_NAME) ] && grep -q $(RANDOM_STRING) $(PROJECTS_MAKEFILE_NAME); then \
+		ln -sf `git -C $(JWBDIR) ls-files | sed '/\.mk$$/ !d; s|^|$(JWBDIR)/|' | xargs grep -l $(RANDOM_STRING)` \
+			$(PROJECTS_MAKEFILE_NAME) ;\
+	fi
 	touch $@
 clean: clean.link-makefile
 clean.link-makefile: