diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2c6af12989..57e776056c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -988,7 +988,8 @@ $(BUILD_DIR)/.br2-external.in: $(BUILD_DIR)
 # displayed.
 .PHONY: printvars
 printvars:
-	@:$(foreach V, \
+	@:
+	$(foreach V, \
 		$(sort $(if $(VARS),$(filter $(VARS),$(.VARIABLES)),$(.VARIABLES))), \
 		$(if $(filter-out environment% default automatic, \
 				$(origin $V)), \