diff --git a/share/mk/bsd.init.mk b/share/mk/bsd.init.mk
index f5c31a5eb88..b8d540fd238 100644
--- a/share/mk/bsd.init.mk
+++ b/share/mk/bsd.init.mk
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ __<bsd.init.mk>__:
 .MAIN: all
 
 .if defined(.PARSEDIR)
-.if ${.MAKE.LEVEL:U1} == 0 && ${BUILD_AT_LEVEL0:Uyes:tl} == "no"
+.if ${.MAKE.LEVEL:U1} == 0 && ${BUILD_AT_LEVEL0:Uyes:tl} == "no" && !make(clean*)
 # this tells lib.mk and prog.mk to not actually build anything
 _SKIP_BUILD = not building at level 0
 .endif