diff --git a/make/defs.mk b/make/defs.mk
index 76cc946d..47ebe7f9 100644
--- a/make/defs.mk
+++ b/make/defs.mk
@@ -28,8 +28,10 @@ CAT                    = /bin/cat
 SHELL                  = /bin/bash
 
 # ----- standard variables
-#PROJECT               ?= $(patsubst $(FLAVOUR_PREFIX)%,%,$(notdir $(shell cd $(TOPDIR); pwd | $(SED) 's/.*\///; s/-[0-9].*//')))
+ifeq ($(PROJECT),)
 PROJECT               := $(patsubst $(FLAVOUR_PREFIX)%,%,$(notdir $(shell cd $(TOPDIR); pwd | $(SED) 's/.*\///; s/-[0-9].*//')))
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(PROJECT),ytools)
 MOD_SCRIPT_DIR        ?= $(MODDIR)/devutil/scripts
 else