diff --git a/src/Makefile.in b/src/Makefile.in
index 229e02c793..eda8671376 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.in
+++ b/src/Makefile.in
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ mandir = @mandir@
 docdir = @docdir@
 builddir = @builddir@
 
+NOOP = :
+
 ALLDIRINFO = "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)" \
              "$(DESTDIR)$(collectsdir)" \
              "$(DESTDIR)$(docdir)" \
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ mred-3m:
 	cd mred; $(MAKE) 3m
 
 no-3m:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 cgc:
 	cd mzscheme; $(MAKE) cgc
@@ -44,7 +46,7 @@ mred-cgc:
 	cd mred; $(MAKE) cgc
 
 no-cgc:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 both:
 	$(MAKE) cgc
@@ -78,7 +80,7 @@ lib-finish:
 	@LIBFINISH@ "$(libdir)"
 
 no-run:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 copytree-run:
 	mzscheme/mzscheme@CGC@ -u \
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ install-mred-post-collects:
 	cd mred; $(MAKE) install-post-collects
 
 install-no-post-collects:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 fix-paths:
 	if [ "$(DESTDIR)" != "" ]; then \
@@ -118,7 +120,7 @@ plain-install-3m:
 	$(MAKE) install-common-last
 
 install-no-3m:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 install-mred-3m:
 	cd mred; $(MAKE) install-3m
@@ -141,7 +143,7 @@ plain-install-cgc:
 	$(MAKE) install-common-last
 
 install-no-cgc:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 install-mred-cgc:
 	cd mred; $(MAKE) install-cgc
@@ -164,7 +166,7 @@ plain-install-both:
 	$(MAKE) install-common-last
 
 install-no-both:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 install-mred-both:
 	cd mred; $(MAKE) install-both
diff --git a/src/mred/Makefile.in b/src/mred/Makefile.in
index 0fd3236527..a99175ebf0 100644
--- a/src/mred/Makefile.in
+++ b/src/mred/Makefile.in
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ WXDIR = $(srcdir)/../wxxt
 PLTSRCDIR = $(srcdir)/..
 PLTBUILDDIR = $(builddir)/..
 
+NOOP = :
 
 ###########################
 #      Common Macros      #
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ both:
 	$(MAKE) 3m
 
 ext-libs: @JPEG_A@ @PNG_A@ @ZLIB_A@
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 mred@CGC@ : $(MZSCHEMEDEPS) mrmain.@LTO@ $(MREDOBJECTS) $(@WXLIBS@) $(MRSTATIC_STUB)
 	$(MREDLINKER) $(MREDLDFLAGS) $(MRSTATIC) -o mred@CGC@ $(MREDOBJECTS) $(MREDLDLIBS) $(MRSTATIC_STUB)
@@ -310,7 +311,7 @@ install-wx_xt-cgc:
 	$(MZSCHEME) -cu "$(srcdir)/../mzscheme/collects-path.ss" "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/mred@CGC_INSTALLED@@EXE_SUFFIX@" @COLLECTS_PATH@
 
 install-wx_xt-cgc-final:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 install-no-lib-3m-wx_xt:
 	echo "no dynamic libs"
@@ -324,10 +325,10 @@ install-wx_xt-3m:
 	$(MZSCHEME) -cu "$(srcdir)/../mzscheme/collects-path.ss" "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/mred@MMM_INSTALLED@@EXE_SUFFIX@" @COLLECTS_PATH@
 
 install-wx_xt-3m-final:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 install-wx_xt-post-collects:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 # Mac OS X ----------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/src/mzscheme/Makefile.in b/src/mzscheme/Makefile.in
index 5de4dbb24f..a05a4c07fc 100644
--- a/src/mzscheme/Makefile.in
+++ b/src/mzscheme/Makefile.in
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ builddir = @builddir@
 mainsrcdir = @srcdir@/..
 @INCLUDEDEP@ @srcdir@/version.mak
 
+NOOP = :
+
 CC = @CC@
 CPP = @CPP@
 
@@ -289,7 +291,7 @@ unix-install-cgc:
 	./mzscheme@CGC@ -cu "$(srcdir)/collects-path.ss" "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/mzscheme@CGC_INSTALLED@@EXE_SUFFIX@" @COLLECTS_PATH@
 
 unix-install-cgc-final:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 unix-install-3m:
 	cd ..; $(ICP) mzscheme/mzscheme@MMM@ "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/mzscheme@MMM_INSTALLED@"
@@ -298,7 +300,7 @@ unix-install-3m:
 	./mzscheme@MMM@ -cu "$(srcdir)/collects-path.ss" "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/mzscheme@MMM_INSTALLED@@EXE_SUFFIX@" @COLLECTS_PATH@
 
 unix-install-3m-final:
-	cd .
+	$(NOOP)
 
 # OS X install ----------------------------------------