diff --git a/Makefile.host b/Makefile.host
index 9ab7ce8ca..e2d3b3f6f 100644
--- a/Makefile.host
+++ b/Makefile.host
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ LD = gcc
 RM = rm -f
 MV = mv
 CP = cp -a
-MKDIR = mkdir
+MKDIR = mkdir -p
 
 CFLAGS ?= -Wall -Werror -O3
 CFLAGS += $(MYDEFS) $(MYCFLAGS) $(MYINCLUDES)
diff --git a/fpga/tests/Makefile b/fpga/tests/Makefile
index 79ed20816..f2ae6d729 100644
--- a/fpga/tests/Makefile
+++ b/fpga/tests/Makefile
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 # at your option, any later version. See the LICENSE.txt file for the text of
 # the license.
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
+MKDIR = mkdir -p
 TEST_OUTDIR = tb_tmp
 
 TB_SOURCES = \
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ tb_lf_edge_detect: tb_lf_edge_detect.vvp | test_dir
 	rm -f $(TEST_OUTDIR)/data.*
 
 test_dir:
-	@if [ ! -d $(TEST_OUTDIR) ] ; then mkdir $(TEST_OUTDIR) ; fi
+	@if [ ! -d $(TEST_OUTDIR) ] ; then $(MKDIR) $(TEST_OUTDIR) ; fi
 
 .PHONY: all clean
 
diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
index 3b1dc1b0f..5f2355f20 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -1,18 +1,23 @@
+MKDIR = mkdir -p
+WGET = wget -N
+TAR = tar Jxvf
+GIT = git clone
+
 get_craptev1:
-	wget -N http://crapto1.netgarage.org/craptev1-v1.1.tar.xz
-	tar Jxvf craptev1-v1.1.tar.xz -C craptev1-v1.1
+	$(WGET) http://crapto1.netgarage.org/craptev1-v1.1.tar.xz
+	$(TAR) craptev1-v1.1.tar.xz -C craptev1-v1.1
 
 get_crapto1:
-	wget -N http://crapto1.netgarage.org/crapto1-v3.3.tar.xz
-	tar Jxvf crapto1-v3.3.tar.xz -C crapto1-v3.3
+	$(WGET) http://crapto1.netgarage.org/crapto1-v3.3.tar.xz
+	$(TAR) Jxvf crapto1-v3.3.tar.xz -C crapto1-v3.3
 
 get_nonce_bf:
-#	git clone https://github.com/J-Run/mf_key_brute.git mf_key_brute
-	git clone https://github.com/iceman1001/mf_nonce_brute mf_nonce_brute
+#	$(GIT) https://github.com/J-Run/mf_key_brute.git mf_key_brute
+	$(GIT) https://github.com/iceman1001/mf_nonce_brute mf_nonce_brute
 
 get_xorsearch:
-	mkdir xorsearch
-	wget -N https://didierstevens.com/files/software/XORSearch_V1_11_2.zip
+	$(MKDIR) xorsearch
+	$(WGET) https://didierstevens.com/files/software/XORSearch_V1_11_2.zip
 #  Mingw
 #	unzzip-big XORSearch_V1_11_2.zip
 #  linux