diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4908319070ee088f6b4a5f3c8611d3491971deb4..153f97857ac07d390f3ed91a260fc395690a4cd2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -394,7 +394,8 @@ spotless:
 delete_builddir:
 	-rm -rf "$(BUILDDIR)"
 
-distclean: delete_builddir
+distclean:
+	@$(DO_MAKE) delete_builddir
 	$(DO_MAKE) "OS=source" delete_builddir
 	-rm -f bin/pike
 
@@ -410,13 +411,16 @@ cvsclean: srcclean distclean docspotless
 	-rm -f export_result.txt
 	-rm -f Pike*.tar.gz
 
-docclean:
+delete_docs:
 	-rm -rf "$(BUILDDIR)/doc_build"
 	-rm -f "$(BUILDDIR)/autodoc.xml"
 	-rm -f "$(BUILDDIR)/modref.xml"
 	-rm -f "$(BUILDDIR)/onepage.xml"
 	-rm -f "$(BUILDDIR)/traditional.xml"
 
+docclean:
+	@$(DO_MAKE) delete_docs
+
 docspotless: docclean
 	if test -f "refdoc/Makefile"; then \
 	  cd refdoc; $(DO_MAKE) spotless; \