diff --git a/share/mk/local.sys.mk b/share/mk/local.sys.mk
index eb21380f051..d5d3ff75a3c 100644
--- a/share/mk/local.sys.mk
+++ b/share/mk/local.sys.mk
@@ -95,11 +95,13 @@ META_COOKIE_RM?=
 META_COOKIE_TOUCH?=
 META_DEPS+=	${META_NOPHONY}
 
+.if ${MK_DIRDEPS_BUILD} == "yes"
 .if ${MACHINE:Nhost*:Ncommon} != "" && ${MACHINE} != ${HOST_MACHINE}
 # cross-building
 CROSS_TARGET_FLAGS?= -target ${MACHINE_ARCH}-unknown-freebsd${FREEBSD_REVISION}
 CFLAGS+= ${CROSS_TARGET_FLAGS}
 ACFLAGS+= ${CROSS_TARGET_FLAGS}
 .endif
+.endif
 
 .endif