diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cfae9b8..649901a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -87,10 +87,12 @@
 ifneq ($(filter 4.%,$(MAKE_VERSION)),)	# make-4
 ifneq ($(filter %s ,$(firstword x$(MAKEFLAGS))),)
   quiet=silent_
+  tools_silent=s
 endif
 else					# make-3.8x
 ifneq ($(filter s% -s%,$(MAKEFLAGS)),)
   quiet=silent_
+  tools_silent=-s
 endif
 endif
 
@@ -1614,11 +1616,11 @@
 # Clear a bunch of variables before executing the submake
 tools/: FORCE
 	$(Q)mkdir -p $(objtree)/tools
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) LDFLAGS= MAKEFLAGS="$(filter --j% -j,$(MAKEFLAGS))" O=$(shell cd $(objtree) && /bin/pwd) subdir=tools -C $(src)/tools/
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) LDFLAGS= MAKEFLAGS="$(tools_silent) $(filter --j% -j,$(MAKEFLAGS))" O=$(shell cd $(objtree) && /bin/pwd) subdir=tools -C $(src)/tools/
 
 tools/%: FORCE
 	$(Q)mkdir -p $(objtree)/tools
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) LDFLAGS= MAKEFLAGS="$(filter --j% -j,$(MAKEFLAGS))" O=$(shell cd $(objtree) && /bin/pwd) subdir=tools -C $(src)/tools/ $*
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) LDFLAGS= MAKEFLAGS="$(tools_silent) $(filter --j% -j,$(MAKEFLAGS))" O=$(shell cd $(objtree) && /bin/pwd) subdir=tools -C $(src)/tools/ $*
 
 # Single targets
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------