diff --git a/src/Makefile.global.in b/src/Makefile.global.in
index d290116f8c..cb5f31c3ea 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.global.in
+++ b/src/Makefile.global.in
@@ -549,38 +549,39 @@ install-strip:
 # allows parallel make across directories and lets make -k and -q work
 # correctly.
 
-# This function is only for internal use below.  It should be called
-# with $(eval).  It will set up a target so that it recurses into
-# subdirectories.
-# $1: target name, e.g., all
-# $2: list of subdirs
-# $3: target to run in subdir, usually same as $1
-define _create_recursive_target
-.PHONY: $(patsubst %,$(1)-%-recursive,$(2))
-$(1): $(patsubst %,$(1)-%-recursive,$(2))
-$(2:%=$(1)-%-recursive):
-	$$(MAKE) -C $$(patsubst $(1)-%-recursive,%,$$@) $(3)
-endef
-# Note that the use of $$ on the last line above is important; we want
-# those variables/functions to be evaluated when the rule is run, not
-# when the $(eval) is run to create the rule.  In the case of
-# $$(MAKE), this is necessary to get make -q working.
-
-# Call this function in a makefile.  In the normal case it doesn't
-# need any arguments.
-# $1: targets to make recursive (defaults to list of standard targets)
-# $2: list of subdirs (defaults to SUBDIRS variable)
-# $3: target to run in subdir (defaults to $1)
-recurse = $(foreach target,$(if $1,$1,$(standard_targets)),$(eval $(call _create_recursive_target,$(target),$(if $2,$2,$(SUBDIRS)),$(if $3,$3,$(target)))))
-
 # We need the $(eval) function and order-only prerequisites, which are
 # available in GNU make 3.80.  That also happens to be the version
-# where the .VARIABLES variable was introduced, so this is a simple
-# check.
+# where the .VARIABLES variable was introduced, so this is a simple check.
 ifndef .VARIABLES
 $(error GNU make 3.80 or newer is required.  You are using version $(MAKE_VERSION))
 endif
 
+# This function is only for internal use below.  It should be called
+# using $(eval).  It will set up a target so that it recurses into
+# a given subdirectory.  Note that to avoid a nasty bug in make 3.80,
+# it is important that the expansion of this function not exceed about
+# 200 bytes.  This is why we make it apply to just one subdirectory at a
+# time, rather than to a list of subdirectories.
+# $1: target name, e.g., all
+# $2: subdir name
+# $3: target to run in subdir, usually same as $1
+define _create_recursive_target
+.PHONY: $(1)-$(2)-recurse
+$(1): $(1)-$(2)-recurse
+$(1)-$(2)-recurse:
+	$$(MAKE) -C $(2) $(3)
+endef
+# Note that the use of $$ on the last line above is important; we want
+# $(MAKE) to be evaluated when the rule is run, not when the $(eval) is run
+# to create the rule.  This is necessary to get make -q working.
+
+# Call this function in a makefile that needs to recurse into subdirectories.
+# In the normal case all arguments can be defaulted.
+# $1: targets to make recursive (defaults to list of standard targets)
+# $2: list of subdirs (defaults to SUBDIRS variable)
+# $3: target to run in subdir (defaults to current element of $1)
+recurse = $(foreach target,$(if $1,$1,$(standard_targets)),$(foreach subdir,$(if $2,$2,$(SUBDIRS)),$(eval $(call _create_recursive_target,$(target),$(subdir),$(if $3,$3,$(target))))))
+
 
 ##########################################################################
 #