diff --git a/mps/Makefile.in b/mps/Makefile.in
index 7c3230bc341..15b16a2c74e 100644
--- a/mps/Makefile.in
+++ b/mps/Makefile.in
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ XCODEBUILD=xcrun xcodebuild -project code/mps.xcodeproj
 all: @BUILD_TARGET@
 
 build-via-make:
-	$(MAKE) $(TARGET_OPTS)
+	$(MAKE) $(TARGET_OPTS) VARIETY=cool
+	$(MAKE) $(TARGET_OPTS) VARIETY=hot
 
 clean-make-build:
 	$(MAKE) $(TARGET_OPTS) clean
@@ -84,12 +85,12 @@ test-make-build:
 	$(MAKE) -C code -f anan$(MPS_BUILD_NAME).gmk VARIETY=cool \
 		CC='$(CC)' \
 		CFLAGSCOMPILERSTRICT='$(CFLAGSCOMPILERSTRICT)' \
-		clean testansi
+		clean-testansi
 	$(MAKE) -C code -f anan$(MPS_BUILD_NAME).gmk VARIETY=cool \
 		CC='$(CC)' \
 		CFLAGS="-DCONFIG_POLL_NONE" \
 		CFLAGSCOMPILERSTRICT='$(CFLAGSCOMPILERSTRICT)' \
-		clean testpollnone
+		clean-testpollnone
 
 test-xcode-build:
 	$(XCODEBUILD) -config Debug   -target testci
diff --git a/mps/code/comm.gmk b/mps/code/comm.gmk
index 05c73fb411a..cac85c4ee6a 100644
--- a/mps/code/comm.gmk
+++ b/mps/code/comm.gmk
@@ -363,13 +363,18 @@ testscheme: phony
 # These convenience targets allow one to type "make foo" to build target
 # foo in selected varieties (or none, for the latter rule).
 
-$(LIB_TARGETS) $(TEST_TARGETS) $(EVENT_TARGETS) $(TEST_SUITES) testmmqa: phony
 ifdef VARIETY
-	$(MAKE) -f $(PFM).gmk TARGET=$@ variety
+$(LIB_TARGETS) $(TEST_TARGETS) $(EVENT_TARGETS) $(TEST_SUITES) testmmqa: \
+	%: $(PFM)/$(VARIETY)/% ;
 else
+$(LIB_TARGETS) $(TEST_TARGETS) $(EVENT_TARGETS) $(TEST_SUITES) testmmqa:
 	$(MAKE) -f $(PFM).gmk TARGET=$@ target
+.NOTPARALLEL:
 endif
 
+# Targets for toplevel make
+clean-testansi: clean .WAIT testansi
+clean-testpollnone: clean .WAIT testpollnone
 
 # "clean" removes the directory containing the build results for the
 # platform.
@@ -611,14 +616,12 @@ endif
 
 define run-cc-strict
 $(ECHO) "$(PFM): $@"
-mkdir -p $(PFM)
 mkdir -p $(PFM)/$(VARIETY)
 $(CC) $(CFLAGSSTRICT) -c -o $@ $<
 endef
 
 define run-cc-lax
 $(ECHO) "$(PFM): $@ - compiling with lax flags."
-mkdir -p $(PFM)
 mkdir -p $(PFM)/$(VARIETY)
 $(CC) $(CFLAGSLAX) -c -o $@ $<
 endef