diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 37e4bd4dbd..13239616a8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -928,7 +928,7 @@ clean:
 		$(LEGAL_INFO_DIR) $(GRAPHS_DIR)
 
 distclean: clean
-ifeq ($(O),output)
+ifeq ($(O),$(CURDIR)/output)
 	rm -rf $(O)
 endif
 	rm -rf $(TOPDIR)/dl $(BR2_CONFIG) $(CONFIG_DIR)/.config.old $(CONFIG_DIR)/..config.tmp \