Seems like the problem boils down to this: $ make -V MAKEFILE /usr/ports/security/vpnc/Makefile $ fmake -V MAKEFILE Makefile The only explicit assignments of MAKEFILE that I could find in ports infrastructure are these: /usr/ports/Mk/bsd.port.mk:MAKEFILE?= Makefile /usr/ports/Mk/bsd.gnustep.mk:MAKEFILE= GNUmakefile -- Andriy Gapon