diff --git a/test/Makefile b/test/Makefile
index 93a287a3f..8974c552b 100644
--- a/test/Makefile
+++ b/test/Makefile
@@ -18,19 +18,21 @@ clean:
 
 bins: $(BINS)
 
-bin/random: $(RANDOM_SRC)/**/*.go IPFS-BUILD-OPTIONS
+find_go_files = $(shell find $(1) -name "*.go")
+
+bin/random: $(call find_go_files, $(RANDOM_SRC)) IPFS-BUILD-OPTIONS
 	@echo "*** installing $@ ***"
 	go build $(GOFLAGS) -o bin/random $(RANDOM_SRC)/random
 
-bin/multihash: $(MULTIHASH_SRC)/**/*.go IPFS-BUILD-OPTIONS
+bin/multihash: $(call find_go_files, $(MULTIHASH_SRC)) IPFS-BUILD-OPTIONS
 	@echo "*** installing $@ ***"
 	go build $(GOFLAGS) -o bin/multihash $(MULTIHASH_SRC)/multihash
 
-bin/ipfs: $(IPFS_ROOT)/**/*.go IPFS-BUILD-OPTIONS
+bin/ipfs: $(call find_go_files, $(IPFS_ROOT)) IPFS-BUILD-OPTIONS
 	@echo "*** installing $@ ***"
 	go build $(GOFLAGS) -o bin/ipfs $(IPFS_CMD)
 
-bin/pollEndpoint: $(POLLENDPOINT_SRC)/*.go IPFS-BUILD-OPTIONS
+bin/pollEndpoint: $(call find_go_files, $(POLLENDPOINT_SRC)) IPFS-BUILD-OPTIONS
 	@echo "*** installing $@ ***"
 	go build $(GOFLAGS) -o bin/pollEndpoint $(POLLENDPOINT_SRC)
 
diff --git a/test/bin/checkflags b/test/bin/checkflags
index a246a82c3..e78e54835 100755
--- a/test/bin/checkflags
+++ b/test/bin/checkflags
@@ -14,9 +14,11 @@ shift
 shift
 FLAG_MSGS="$@"
 
+test -f $FLAG_FILE || touch $FLAG_FILE
+
 # Use x in front of tested values as flags could be
 # interpreted by "test" to be for itself.
-if test x"$FLAG_VALS" != x"$(cat "$FLAG_FILE" 2>/dev/null)"
+if test x"$FLAG_VALS" != x"$(cat "$FLAG_FILE")"
 then
     echo "$FLAG_MSGS"
     echo "$FLAG_VALS" >"$FLAG_FILE"
diff --git a/test/sharness/Makefile b/test/sharness/Makefile
index 1166df6bb..bc07c0170 100644
--- a/test/sharness/Makefile
+++ b/test/sharness/Makefile
@@ -14,18 +14,21 @@ IPFS_ROOT = ../..
 # User might want to override those on the command line
 GOFLAGS =
 
-all: clean deps $(T) aggregate
+all: aggregate
 
-clean:
+clean: clean-test-results
 	@echo "*** $@ ***"
-	-rm -rf test-results
 	-rm -rf bin/ipfs
 
-$(T):
+clean-test-results:
+	@echo "*** $@ ***"
+	-rm -rf test-results
+
+$(T): clean-test-results deps
 	@echo "*** $@ ***"
 	./$@
 
-aggregate:
+aggregate: clean-test-results $(T)
 	@echo "*** $@ ***"
 	lib/test-aggregate-results.sh