diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4f6269faa3..55d928de38 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -174,10 +174,10 @@ endif
 
 # bash prints the name of the directory on 'cd <dir>' if CDPATH is
 # set, so unset it here to not cause problems. Notice that the export
-# line doesn't affect the environment of $(shell ..) calls, so
-# explictly throw away any output from 'cd' here.
+# line doesn't affect the environment of $(shell ..) calls.
 export CDPATH :=
-BASE_DIR := $(shell mkdir -p $(O) && cd $(O) >/dev/null && pwd)
+
+BASE_DIR := $(CANONICAL_O)
 $(if $(BASE_DIR),, $(error output directory "$(O)" does not exist))