diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c400854cd3..99dcfff654 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ all check install installdirs installcheck installcheck-parallel uninstall clean
 	\
 	 if [ x"$${GMAKE+set}" = xset ]; then \
 	   echo "Using GNU make found at $${GMAKE}"; \
-	   unset MAKEFLAGS; unset MAKELEVEL; \
+	   unset MAKELEVEL; \
 	   $${GMAKE} $@ ; \
 	 else \
 	   echo "You must use GNU make to build PostgreSQL." ; \