diff --git a/Makeconfig b/Makeconfig
index f8164a0025..842f49eb58 100644
--- a/Makeconfig
+++ b/Makeconfig
@@ -43,6 +43,22 @@ else
 $(error objdir must be defined by the build-directory Makefile)
 endif
 
+# Did we request 'make -s' run? "yes" or "no".
+# Starting from make-4.4 MAKEFLAGS now contains long
+# options like '--shuffle'. To detect presence of 's'
+# we pick first word with short options. Long options
+# are guaranteed to come after whitespace. We use '-'
+# prefix to always have a word before long options
+# even if no short options were passed.
+# Typical MAKEFLAGS values to watch for:
+#   "rs --shuffle=42" (silent)
+#   " --shuffle" (not silent)
+ifeq ($(findstring s, $(firstword -$(MAKEFLAGS))),)
+silent-make := no
+else
+silent-make := yes
+endif
+
 # Root of the sysdeps tree.
 sysdep_dir := $(..)sysdeps
 export sysdep_dir := $(sysdep_dir)
@@ -917,7 +933,7 @@ endif
 # umpteen zillion filenames along with it (we use `...' instead)
 # but we don't want this echoing done when the user has said
 # he doesn't want to see commands echoed by using -s.
-ifneq	"$(findstring s,$(MAKEFLAGS))" ""	# if -s
+ifeq ($(silent-make),yes)			# if -s
 +cmdecho	:= echo >/dev/null
 else						# not -s
 +cmdecho	:= echo
diff --git a/Makerules b/Makerules
index d1e139d03c..09c0cf8357 100644
--- a/Makerules
+++ b/Makerules
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ endif
 # Maximize efficiency by minimizing the number of rules.
 .SUFFIXES:	# Clear the suffix list.  We don't use suffix rules.
 # Don't define any builtin rules.
-MAKEFLAGS := $(MAKEFLAGS)r
+MAKEFLAGS := $(MAKEFLAGS) -r
 
 # Generic rule for making directories.
 %/:
@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@ MAKEFLAGS := $(MAKEFLAGS)r
 .PRECIOUS: $(foreach l,$(libtypes),$(patsubst %,$(common-objpfx)$l,c))
 
 # Use the verbose option of ar and tar when not running silently.
-ifeq	"$(findstring s,$(MAKEFLAGS))" ""	# if not -s
+ifeq ($(silent-make),no)			# if not -s
 verbose := v
 else	   					# -s
 verbose	:=
diff --git a/elf/rtld-Rules b/elf/rtld-Rules
index ca00dd1fe2..3c5e273f2b 100644
--- a/elf/rtld-Rules
+++ b/elf/rtld-Rules
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ $(objpfx)rtld-libc.a: $(foreach dir,$(rtld-subdirs),\
 	mv -f $@T $@
 
 # Use the verbose option of ar and tar when not running silently.
-ifeq	"$(findstring s,$(MAKEFLAGS))" ""	# if not -s
+ifeq ($(silent-make),no)			# if not -s
 verbose := v
 else						# -s
 verbose	:=