diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/Rules.mk b/cmd/ipfs/Rules.mk
index d693cd86b..2a768b5fc 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/Rules.mk
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/Rules.mk
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ $(d)-try-build $(IPFS_BIN_$(d)): GOFLAGS += $(cmd/ipfs_flags)
 
 # uses second expansion to collect all $(DEPS_GO)
 $(IPFS_BIN_$(d)): $(d) $$(DEPS_GO) ALWAYS #| $(DEPS_OO_$(d))
-	$(go-build)
+	$(go-build-relative)
 
 TRY_BUILD_$(d)=$(addprefix $(d)-try-build-,$(SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS))
 $(d)-try-build: $(TRY_BUILD_$(d))
diff --git a/coverage/Rules.mk b/coverage/Rules.mk
index c5d4aab9d..336c56dbc 100644
--- a/coverage/Rules.mk
+++ b/coverage/Rules.mk
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ TGTS_$(d) := $(d)/unit_tests.coverprofile
 # sharness tests coverage
 $(d)/ipfs: GOTAGS += testrunmain
 $(d)/ipfs: $(d)/main
-	$(go-build)
+	$(go-build-relative)
 
 CLEAN += $(d)/ipfs
 
diff --git a/mk/golang.mk b/mk/golang.mk
index b93e94e1e..cc5955715 100644
--- a/mk/golang.mk
+++ b/mk/golang.mk
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ go-pkgs=$(shell $(GOCC) list github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/...)
 go-tags=$(if $(GOTAGS), -tags="$(call join-with,$(space),$(GOTAGS))")
 go-flags-with-tags=$(GOFLAGS)$(go-tags)
 
-define go-build
+define go-build-relative
 $(GOCC) build $(go-flags-with-tags) -o "$@" "$(call go-pkg-name,$<)"
 endef
 
diff --git a/test/bin/Rules.mk b/test/bin/Rules.mk
index f25b73bc3..215c093e2 100644
--- a/test/bin/Rules.mk
+++ b/test/bin/Rules.mk
@@ -3,27 +3,27 @@ include mk/header.mk
 TGTS_$(d) :=
 
 $(d)/pollEndpoint: thirdparty/pollEndpoint
-	$(go-build)
+	$(go-build-relative)
 TGTS_$(d) += $(d)/pollEndpoint
 
 $(d)/go-sleep: test/dependencies/go-sleep
-	$(go-build)
+	$(go-build-relative)
 TGTS_$(d) += $(d)/go-sleep
 
 $(d)/go-timeout: test/dependencies/go-timeout
-	$(go-build)
+	$(go-build-relative)
 TGTS_$(d) += $(d)/go-timeout
 
 $(d)/iptb: test/dependencies/iptb
-	$(go-build)
+	$(go-build-relative)
 TGTS_$(d) += $(d)/iptb
 
 $(d)/ma-pipe-unidir: test/dependencies/ma-pipe-unidir
-	$(go-build)
+	$(go-build-relative)
 TGTS_$(d) += $(d)/ma-pipe-unidir
 
 $(d)/json-to-junit: test/dependencies/json-to-junit
-	$(go-build)
+	$(go-build-relative)
 TGTS_$(d) += $(d)/json-to-junit
 
 TGTS_GX_$(d) := hang-fds