diff --git a/Makefile.config_if_required b/Makefile.config_if_required
index 20498e68b..cc84164be 100644
--- a/Makefile.config_if_required
+++ b/Makefile.config_if_required
@@ -13,15 +13,17 @@
 #*                                                                        *
 #**************************************************************************
 
+ifeq "$(MAKECMDGOALS)" ""
+MAKECMDGOALS += defaultentry
+endif
+
+CLEAN_TARGET_NAMES=clean partialclean distclean
+
 # Some special targets ('*clean' and 'configure') do not require configuration.
 # REQUIRES_CONFIGURATION is empty if only those targets are requested,
 # and non-empty if configuration is required.
 REQUIRES_CONFIGURATION := $(strip \
-  $(filter-out partialclean clean distclean configure, \
-	$(if $(MAKECMDGOALS),$(MAKECMDGOALS),defaultentry)))
-# If no goals were specified (i.e. `make`), we add defaultentry
-# (since it requires ./configure to be run) so that
-# REQUIRES_CONFIGURATION is non-empty.
+  $(filter-out $(CLEAN_TARGET_NAMES) configure, $(MAKECMDGOALS)))
 
 ifneq "$(REQUIRES_CONFIGURATION)" ""
 include $(ROOTDIR)/Makefile.build_config