diff --git a/refpolicy/Rules.modular b/refpolicy/Rules.modular
index 370e08b..d0bbaf8 100644
--- a/refpolicy/Rules.modular
+++ b/refpolicy/Rules.modular
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ vpath %.te $(ALL_LAYERS)
 vpath %.if $(ALL_LAYERS)
 vpath %.fc $(ALL_LAYERS)
 
-.SECONDARY:
+# broken in make 3.81:
+#.SECONDARY:
 
 ########################################
 #
diff --git a/refpolicy/support/Makefile.devel b/refpolicy/support/Makefile.devel
index 5c4047f..0163f2f 100644
--- a/refpolicy/support/Makefile.devel
+++ b/refpolicy/support/Makefile.devel
@@ -125,7 +125,8 @@ endef
 .PHONY: clean all xml
 .SUFFIXES:
 .SUFFIXES: .pp
-.SECONDARY:
+# broken in make 3.81:
+#.SECONDARY:
 
 ########################################
 #