diff --git a/make/defs.mk b/make/defs.mk
index 21ed3f4e..0002e2ba 100644
--- a/make/defs.mk
+++ b/make/defs.mk
@@ -110,30 +110,12 @@ endif
 # ----- function definitions
 
 reverse                      = $(if $(wordlist 2,2,$(1)),$(call reverse,$(wordlist 2,$(words $(1)),$(1))) $(firstword $(1)),$(1))
-
-define make_subdirs
-	set -e; for D in $(SUBDIRS) ; do make -C $$D ; done
-endef
-
-define make_subdirs_target
-	set -e; for D in $(SUBDIRS) ; do make -C $$D $@; done
-endef
-
-define install_local_cfg
-	$(INSTALL) -p -o $(CFGOWNER) -g $(CFGGROUP) -m $(CFGMODE) $< $@
-endef
-
-define cvs_files
-	sh $(MOD_SCRIPT_DIR)/scm.sh ls-files -f
-endef
-
-define add_flavour_prefix
-	$(SED) "s/\([^ ][^ ]*\) *\([<>=]*\) *\([^ ]*\)/$(FLAVOUR_PREFIX)\1 \2 \3/g"
-endef
-
-define beautify_lib_path
-	$(SED) 's/:/\n  + /g'
-endef
+make_subdirs                 = set -e; for D in $(SUBDIRS) ; do make -C $$D ; done
+make_subdirs_target          = set -e; for D in $(SUBDIRS) ; do make -C $$D $@; done
+install_local_cfg            = $(INSTALL) -p -o $(CFGOWNER) -g $(CFGGROUP) -m $(CFGMODE) $< $@
+cvs_files                    = sh $(MOD_SCRIPT_DIR)/scm.sh ls-files -f
+add_flavour_prefix           = $(SED) "s/\([^ ][^ ]*\) *\([<>=]*\) *\([^ ]*\)/$(FLAVOUR_PREFIX)\1 \2 \3/g"
+beautify_lib_path            = $(SED) 's/:/\n  + /g'
 
 ifeq ($(INCLUDE_REV_IN_VERSIONS),true)
   version                    = $(shell $(CAT) $1/VERSION | $(SED) 's/-dev//; s/[ 	]*//g')
@@ -273,12 +255,12 @@ REQUIRED                    := $(CONTRIB_MOD) $(REQUIRED)
 ifeq ($(DEVELOPMENT),true)
   -include $(MODDIR)/make/defs-dev.mk
   ifneq ($(wildcard $(TOPDIR)/make/cfg_dev.mk),)
-    -include $(TOPDIR)/make/cfg_dev.mk
+    include $(TOPDIR)/make/cfg_dev.mk
   endif
 else
   -include $(MODDIR)/make/defs-dist.mk
   ifneq ($(wildcard $(TOPDIR)/make/cfg_dist.mk),)
-    -include $(TOPDIR)/make/cfg_dist.mk
+    include $(TOPDIR)/make/cfg_dist.mk
   endif
 endif