diff --git a/lib/libasn1/Makefile b/lib/libasn1/Makefile
index 9230ff166ed0..cfff9a7bf6b8 100644
--- a/lib/libasn1/Makefile
+++ b/lib/libasn1/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# $NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.13 2001/10/06 21:51:53 perry Exp $
+# $NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.14 2001/10/11 03:39:02 mason Exp $
 
 .include <bsd.own.mk>
 
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@ LIB=	asn1
 
 .if !defined(USETOOLS) || (${USETOOLS} == "no")
 COMPILEETOBJ!=	cd ${.CURDIR}/../libcom_err/compile_et && ${PRINTOBJDIR}
+.if !defined(COMPILE_ET)
 COMPILE_ET=	${COMPILEETOBJ}/compile_et
 .endif
+.endif
 
 asn1_err.h asn1_err.c: asn1_err.et
 	${COMPILE_ET} ${DIST}/heimdal/lib/asn1/asn1_err.et