diff --git a/make/rules.mk b/make/rules.mk
index e5bc2377..f0a52b2e 100644
--- a/make/rules.mk
+++ b/make/rules.mk
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ vcdistclean:
 	rm -rf *.plg *.opt *.ncb Debug *.exe dist *.ilk
 
 prereqclean:
-	for dir in $(PREREQ_DIR); do make -$(MAKEFLAGS) -C $$dir clean; done
+	set -e; for dir in $(PREREQ_DIR); do make -$(MAKEFLAGS) -C $$dir clean; done
 
 profclean:
 	rm -f *.da *.bb *.bbg *.gcov *.gcda *.gcno
@@ -97,10 +97,10 @@ cvsupdate:
 	cvs update -dP
 
 prepend_header:
-	for f in $(SRC_UNHEADERED); do sh $(TOPDIR)/hdr/prepend_header.sh $$f; done
+	set -e; for f in $(SRC_UNHEADERED); do sh $(TOPDIR)/hdr/prepend_header.sh $$f; done
 
 remake:
-	make $(addprefix -W ,$(SRC_FILES)) $(filter-out remake,$(MAKECMDGOALS)) 
+	set -e; make $(addprefix -W ,$(SRC_FILES)) $(filter-out remake,$(MAKECMDGOALS)) 
 
 libpath:
 	@echo "export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$(LD_LIBRARY_PATH)"