diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 90cfc7cc2..1d8c1f456 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1075,7 +1075,7 @@ partialclean::
 ifeq "$(UNIX_OR_WIN32)" "unix"
 .PHONY: checkstack
 checkstack:
-	if $(MKEXE) -o tools/checkstack$(EXE) tools/checkstack.c; \
+	if $(MKEXE) $(OUTPUTEXE)tools/checkstack$(EXE) tools/checkstack.c; \
 	  then tools/checkstack$(EXE); \
 	  else :; \
 	fi
diff --git a/asmrun/Makefile b/asmrun/Makefile
index a328082a9..1fc64f5c5 100644
--- a/asmrun/Makefile
+++ b/asmrun/Makefile
@@ -48,12 +48,10 @@ CPPFLAGS += -DSYS_$(SYSTEM) $(IFLEXDIR) $(LIBUNWIND_INCLUDE_FLAGS)
 ifeq "$(TOOLCHAIN)" "msvc"
 DFLAGS = $(CFLAGS) -DDEBUG
 PFLAGS=$(CFLAGS) -DPROFILING $(NATIVECCPROFOPTS)
-OUTPUTOBJ = -Fo
 ASMOBJS=$(ARCH)nt.$(O)
 else
 DFLAGS = $(CFLAGS) -g -DDEBUG
 PFLAGS=$(CFLAGS) -pg -DPROFILING $(NATIVECCPROFOPTS)
-OUTPUTOBJ = -o
 ASMOBJS=$(ARCH).$(O)
 endif
 
diff --git a/byterun/Makefile b/byterun/Makefile
index be0aaf0d4..379851aa7 100644
--- a/byterun/Makefile
+++ b/byterun/Makefile
@@ -61,11 +61,6 @@ ifneq "$(CCOMPTYPE)" "msvc"
 DFLAGS += -g
 endif
 
-ifeq "$(CCOMPTYPE)" "msvc"
-OUTPUTOBJ=-Fo
-else
-OUTPUTOBJ=-o
-endif
 DBGO=d.$(O)
 
 ifeq "$(UNIX_OR_WIN32)" "win32"
diff --git a/config/Makefile.mingw b/config/Makefile.mingw
index 5c5310f74..567db0ac9 100644
--- a/config/Makefile.mingw
+++ b/config/Makefile.mingw
@@ -59,8 +59,10 @@ A=a
 S=s
 SO=s.o
 EXE=.exe
+OUTPUTEXE=-o
 EXT_DLL=.dll
 EXT_OBJ=.$(O)
+OUTPUTOBJ=-o
 EXT_LIB=.$(A)
 EXT_ASM=.$(S)
 MANEXT=1
@@ -109,9 +111,6 @@ CPPFLAGS = -DCAML_NAME_SPACE
 OCAMLC_CFLAGS = -O -mms-bitfields
 BYTECCDBGCOMPOPTS=-g
 
-### Flag to use to rename object files.  (for debug version.)
-NAME_OBJ_FLAG=-o
-
 LDFLAGS=
 
 ### Libraries needed
@@ -143,7 +142,7 @@ MKEXEDEBUGFLAG=-g
 MKMAINDLL=$(FLEXLINK) -maindll
 
 ### Native command to build ocamlrun.exe without flexlink
-MKEXE_BOOT=$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $(1) $(2)
+MKEXE_BOOT=$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(OUTPUTEXE)$(1) $(2)
 
 ### How to build a static library
 MKLIB=rm -f $(1); $(TOOLPREF)ar rc $(1) $(2); $(RANLIB) $(1)
diff --git a/config/Makefile.mingw64 b/config/Makefile.mingw64
index af6fc7d7b..bedb99cba 100644
--- a/config/Makefile.mingw64
+++ b/config/Makefile.mingw64
@@ -59,8 +59,10 @@ A=a
 S=s
 SO=s.o
 EXE=.exe
+OUTPUTEXE=-o
 EXT_DLL=.dll
 EXT_OBJ=.$(O)
+OUTPUTOBJ=-o
 EXT_LIB=.$(A)
 EXT_ASM=.$(S)
 MANEXT=1
@@ -110,9 +112,6 @@ OCAMLC_CFLAGS = -O -mms-bitfields
 
 BYTECCDBGCOMPOPTS=-g
 
-### Flag to use to rename object files.  (for debug version.)
-NAME_OBJ_FLAG=-o
-
 LDFLAGS=
 
 ### Libraries needed
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ MKEXEDEBUGFLAG=-g
 MKMAINDLL=$(FLEXLINK) -maindll
 
 ### Native command to build ocamlrun.exe without flexlink
-MKEXE_BOOT=$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $(1) $(2)
+MKEXE_BOOT=$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(OUTPUTEXE)$(1) $(2)
 
 ### How to build a static library
 MKLIB=rm -f $(1); $(TOOLPREF)ar rc $(1) $(2); $(RANLIB) $(1)
diff --git a/config/Makefile.msvc b/config/Makefile.msvc
index f1a74b6ca..741935586 100644
--- a/config/Makefile.msvc
+++ b/config/Makefile.msvc
@@ -54,8 +54,10 @@ A=lib
 S=asm
 SO=s.obj
 EXE=.exe
+OUTPUTEXE=-Fe
 EXT_DLL=.dll
 EXT_OBJ=.$(O)
+OUTPUTOBJ=-Fo
 EXT_LIB=.$(A)
 EXT_ASM=.$(S)
 MANEXT=1
@@ -104,9 +106,6 @@ OCAMLC_CFLAGS = -nologo -O2 -Gy- -MD
 OCAMLC_CPPFLAGS = -D_CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE
 BYTECCDBGCOMPOPTS=-Zi
 
-### Flag to use to rename object files.  (for debug version.)
-NAME_OBJ_FLAG=-Fo
-
 LDFLAGS=
 
 ### Libraries needed
@@ -141,7 +140,7 @@ MKMAINDLL=$(FLEXLINK) -maindll
 MERGEMANIFESTEXE=test ! -f $(1).manifest \
 	         || mt -nologo -outputresource:$(1) -manifest $(1).manifest \
 	            && rm -f $(1).manifest
-MKEXE_BOOT=$(CC) $(CFLAGS) /Fe$(1) $(2) /link /subsystem:console \
+MKEXE_BOOT=$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(OUTPUTEXE)$(1) $(2) /link /subsystem:console \
 	   && ($(MERGEMANIFESTEXE))
 
 ### How to build a static library
diff --git a/config/Makefile.msvc64 b/config/Makefile.msvc64
index b602057c2..a15d2ff29 100644
--- a/config/Makefile.msvc64
+++ b/config/Makefile.msvc64
@@ -54,8 +54,10 @@ A=lib
 S=asm
 SO=s.obj
 EXE=.exe
+OUTPUTEXE=-Fe
 EXT_DLL=.dll
 EXT_OBJ=.$(O)
+OUTPUTOBJ=-Fo
 EXT_LIB=.$(A)
 EXT_ASM=.$(S)
 MANEXT=1
@@ -104,9 +106,6 @@ OCAMLC_CPPFLAGS = -D_CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE
 
 BYTECCDBGCOMPOPTS=-Zi
 
-### Flag to use to rename object files.  (for debug version.)
-NAME_OBJ_FLAG=-Fo
-
 LDFLAGS=
 
 ### Libraries needed
@@ -143,7 +142,7 @@ MKMAINDLL=$(FLEXLINK) -maindll
 MERGEMANIFESTEXE=test ! -f $(1).manifest \
 	         || mt -nologo -outputresource:$(1) -manifest $(1).manifest \
 	            && rm -f $(1).manifest
-MKEXE_BOOT=$(CC) $(CFLAGS) /Fe$(1) $(2) /link /subsystem:console \
+MKEXE_BOOT=$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(OUTPUTEXE)$(1) $(2) /link /subsystem:console \
            && ($(MERGEMANIFESTEXE))
 
 ### How to build a static library
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index f7ae20283..b0462b92b 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1972,6 +1972,7 @@ echo "BYTECCLIBS=$cclibs $dllib $curseslibs $pthread_link \
                  $instrumented_runtime_libs" >> Makefile
 echo "RPATH=$rpath" >> Makefile
 echo "EXE=$exe" >> Makefile
+echo "OUTPUTEXE=-o" >> Makefile
 echo "SUPPORTS_SHARED_LIBRARIES=$shared_libraries_supported" >> Makefile
 echo "SHAREDCCCOMPOPTS=$sharedcccompopts" >> Makefile
 echo "MKSHAREDLIBRPATH=$mksharedlibrpath" >> Makefile
@@ -2007,6 +2008,7 @@ echo "O=o" >> Makefile
 echo "A=a" >> Makefile
 echo "SO=$SO" >> Makefile
 echo "EXT_OBJ=.o" >> Makefile
+echo "OUTPUTOBJ=-o" >> Makefile
 echo "EXT_ASM=.s" >> Makefile
 echo "EXT_LIB=.a" >> Makefile
 echo "EXT_DLL=.$SO" >> Makefile
diff --git a/otherlibs/Makefile b/otherlibs/Makefile
index 0e2813c95..0958d0c06 100644
--- a/otherlibs/Makefile
+++ b/otherlibs/Makefile
@@ -113,4 +113,4 @@ clean:: partialclean
 	$(CAMLOPT) -c $(COMPFLAGS) $(OPTCOMPFLAGS) $<
 
 .c.$(O):
-	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $<
+	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(OUTPUTOBJ)$@ $<
diff --git a/otherlibs/bigarray/Makefile b/otherlibs/bigarray/Makefile
index 0903a8d5f..2094ad2f4 100644
--- a/otherlibs/bigarray/Makefile
+++ b/otherlibs/bigarray/Makefile
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ CAMLOBJS=bigarray.cmo
 include ../Makefile
 
 mmap.$(O): ../$(UNIXLIB)/mmap.c
-	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $<
+	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(OUTPUTOBJ)$@ $<
 mmap_ba.$(O): ../unix/mmap_ba.c
-	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $<
+	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(OUTPUTOBJ)$@ $<
 
 .PHONY: depend
 
diff --git a/otherlibs/systhreads/Makefile b/otherlibs/systhreads/Makefile
index ad8109d85..7e3d5aaf0 100644
--- a/otherlibs/systhreads/Makefile
+++ b/otherlibs/systhreads/Makefile
@@ -95,10 +95,6 @@ $(LIBNAME).cmxa: $(THREADS_NCOBJS)
 # The following lines produce two object files st_stubs_b.$(O) and
 # st_stubs_n.$(O) from the same source file st_stubs.c (it is compiled
 # twice, each time with different options).
-# Since the source and object file have a different basename, the name of
-# the object file to produce must be given to the C compiler.
-# For gcc this is done with the -ofoo.$(O) option.
-# For msvc it's the /Fofoo.$(O) option.
 
 ifeq "$(TOOLCHAIN)" "msvc"
   CCOUTPUT=/Fo
@@ -108,13 +104,13 @@ endif
 
 st_stubs_b.$(O): st_stubs.c $(HEADER)
 	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -I$(ROOTDIR)/byterun  \
-	  $(SHAREDCCCOMPOPTS) $(CCOUTPUT)$@ $<
+	  $(SHAREDCCCOMPOPTS) $(OUTPUTOBJ)$@ $<
 
 st_stubs_n.$(O): st_stubs.c $(HEADER)
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -I$(ROOTDIR)/asmrun -I$(ROOTDIR)/byterun \
 	  $(SHAREDCCCOMPOPTS) -DNATIVE_CODE \
 	  -DTARGET_$(ARCH) -DMODEL_$(MODEL) -DSYS_$(SYSTEM) \
-	  $(CCOUTPUT)$@ -c $<
+	  $(OUTPUTOBJ)$@ -c $<
 
 partialclean:
 	rm -f *.cm*
diff --git a/stdlib/Makefile b/stdlib/Makefile
index 48d158c07..1a7263cce 100644
--- a/stdlib/Makefile
+++ b/stdlib/Makefile
@@ -140,12 +140,12 @@ $(CAMLHEADERS):
 	for suff in '' d i; do \
 	  $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) \
 	            -DRUNTIME_NAME='"$(BINDIR)/ocamlrun'$$suff'"' \
-	            header.c -o tmpheader$(EXE) && \
+	            header.c $(OUTPUTEXE)tmpheader$(EXE) && \
 	  strip tmpheader$(EXE) && \
 	  mv tmpheader$(EXE) camlheader$$suff && \
 	  $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) \
 	            -DRUNTIME_NAME='"$(TARGET_BINDIR)/ocamlrun'$$suff'"' \
-	            header.c -o tmpheader$(EXE) && \
+	            header.c $(OUTPUTEXE)tmpheader$(EXE) && \
 	  strip tmpheader$(EXE) && \
 	  mv tmpheader$(EXE) target_camlheader$$suff; \
 	done && \
@@ -156,25 +156,25 @@ else # Windows
 # TODO: see whether there is a way to further merge the rules below
 # with those above
 
-camlheader target_camlheader camlheader_ur:
+camlheader target_camlheader camlheader_ur: headernt.c
 	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -I../byterun \
-	          -DRUNTIME_NAME='"ocamlrun"' headernt.c
+	          -DRUNTIME_NAME='"ocamlrun"' $(OUTPUTOBJ)headernt.$(O) $<
 	$(MKEXE) -o tmpheader.exe headernt.$(O) $(EXTRALIBS)
 	rm -f camlheader.exe
 	mv tmpheader.exe camlheader
 	cp camlheader target_camlheader
 	cp camlheader camlheader_ur
 
-camlheaderd target_camlheaderd:
+camlheaderd target_camlheaderd: headernt.c
 	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -I../byterun \
-	          -DRUNTIME_NAME='"ocamlrund"' headernt.c
+	          -DRUNTIME_NAME='"ocamlrund"' $(OUTPUTOBJ)headernt.$(O) $<
 	$(MKEXE) -o tmpheader.exe headernt.$(O) $(EXTRALIBS)
 	mv tmpheader.exe camlheaderd
 	cp camlheaderd target_camlheaderd
 
-camlheaderi:
+camlheaderi: headernt.c
 	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) -I../byterun \
-	          -DRUNTIME_NAME='"ocamlruni"' headernt.c
+	          -DRUNTIME_NAME='"ocamlruni"' $(OUTPUTOBJ)headernt.$(O)
 	$(MKEXE) -o tmpheader.exe headernt.$(O) $(EXTRALIBS)
 	mv tmpheader.exe camlheaderi
 
diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
index 8c99b0495..fbc873f5c 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -306,15 +306,8 @@ else
 DEF_SYMBOL_PREFIX = '-Dsymbol_prefix=""'
 endif
 
-ifeq "$(CCOMPTYPE)" "msvc"
-CCOUT = -Fe
-else
-EMPTY =
-CCOUT = -o $(EMPTY)
-endif
-
 objinfo_helper$(EXE): objinfo_helper.c ../config/s.h
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CCOUT)objinfo_helper$(EXE) \
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(OUTPUTEXE)$@ \
           $(DEF_SYMBOL_PREFIX) $(LIBBFD_INCLUDE) $< $(LIBBFD_LINK)
 
 OBJINFO=../compilerlibs/ocamlcommon.cma \
diff --git a/yacc/Makefile b/yacc/Makefile
index fbdf2ab57..6678c9361 100644
--- a/yacc/Makefile
+++ b/yacc/Makefile
@@ -51,4 +51,4 @@ warshall.$(O): defs.h
 # also works for .obj files.
 
 %.$(O): %.c
-	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $<
+	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(OUTPUTOBJ)$@ $<