diff --git a/refpolicy/Rules.modular b/refpolicy/Rules.modular
index 8e0928d..9962498 100644
--- a/refpolicy/Rules.modular
+++ b/refpolicy/Rules.modular
@@ -135,9 +135,6 @@ $(TMPDIR)/global_bools.conf: $(M4SUPPORT) $(TMPDIR)/generated_definitions.conf $
 	$(verbose) $(M4) $(M4PARAM) $^ > $@
 
 $(TMPDIR)/all_interfaces.conf: $(M4SUPPORT) $(ALL_INTERFACES)
-ifeq ($(ALL_INTERFACES),)
-	$(error No enabled modules! $(notdir $(MOD_CONF)) may need to be generated by using "make conf")
-endif
 	@test -d $(TMPDIR) || mkdir -p $(TMPDIR)
 	@echo "ifdef(\`__if_error',\`m4exit(1)')" > $(TMPDIR)/iferror.m4
 	@echo "divert(-1)" > $@
@@ -151,7 +148,7 @@ $(TMPDIR)/rolemap.conf: $(ROLEMAP)
 
 $(TMPDIR)/all_te_files.conf: M4PARAM += -D self_contained_policy
 $(TMPDIR)/all_te_files.conf: $(M4SUPPORT) $(TMPDIR)/generated_definitions.conf $(TMPDIR)/all_interfaces.conf $(BASE_TE_FILES) $(TMPDIR)/rolemap.conf
-ifeq ($(BASE_TE_FILES),)
+ifeq "$(strip $(BASE_TE_FILES))" ""
 	$(error No enabled modules! $(notdir $(MOD_CONF)) may need to be generated by using "make conf")
 endif
 	@test -d $(TMPDIR) || mkdir -p $(TMPDIR)
diff --git a/refpolicy/Rules.monolithic b/refpolicy/Rules.monolithic
index 02a5f08..b066653 100644
--- a/refpolicy/Rules.monolithic
+++ b/refpolicy/Rules.monolithic
@@ -115,9 +115,6 @@ $(TMPDIR)/global_bools.conf: $(M4SUPPORT) $(TMPDIR)/generated_definitions.conf $
 	$(verbose) $(M4) $(M4PARAM) $^ > $@
 
 $(TMPDIR)/all_interfaces.conf: $(M4SUPPORT) $(ALL_INTERFACES)
-ifeq ($(ALL_INTERFACES),)
-	$(error No enabled modules! $(notdir $(MOD_CONF)) may need to be generated by using "make conf")
-endif
 	@test -d $(TMPDIR) || mkdir -p $(TMPDIR)
 	@echo "ifdef(\`__if_error',\`m4exit(1)')" > $(TMPDIR)/iferror.m4
 	@echo "divert(-1)" > $@
@@ -129,7 +126,7 @@ $(TMPDIR)/rolemap.conf: $(ROLEMAP)
 	$(call parse-rolemap,base,$@)
 
 $(TMPDIR)/all_te_files.conf: $(M4SUPPORT) $(TMPDIR)/generated_definitions.conf $(TMPDIR)/all_interfaces.conf $(ALL_TE_FILES) $(TMPDIR)/rolemap.conf
-ifeq ($(ALL_TE_FILES),)
+ifeq "$(strip $(ALL_TE_FILES))" ""
 	$(error No enabled modules! $(notdir $(MOD_CONF)) may need to be generated by using "make conf")
 endif
 	@test -d $(TMPDIR) || mkdir -p $(TMPDIR)