diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
index 9ddabc8563..5542b5537c 100644
--- a/common.mk
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ SCRIPT_ARGS   =	--dest-dir="$(DESTDIR)" \
 		--mflags="$(MFLAGS)" \
 		--make-flags="$(MAKEFLAGS)"
 EXTMK_ARGS    =	$(SCRIPT_ARGS) --extension $(EXTS) --extstatic $(EXTSTATIC) \
-		--make-flags="V=$(V) MINIRUBY='$(MINIRUBY)'" --
+		--make-flags="V=$(V) MINIRUBY='$(MINIRUBY)'" --gnumake=$(gnumake) \
+		--
 INSTRUBY      =	$(SUDO) $(RUNRUBY) -r./$(arch)-fake $(srcdir)/tool/rbinstall.rb
 INSTRUBY_ARGS =	$(SCRIPT_ARGS) \
 		--data-mode=$(INSTALL_DATA_MODE) \
diff --git a/defs/gmake.mk b/defs/gmake.mk
index 3ee34083f6..f5033b2245 100644
--- a/defs/gmake.mk
+++ b/defs/gmake.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 # -*- makefile-gmake -*-
+gnumake = yes
+
 TEST_TARGETS := $(filter check test check% test% btest%,$(MAKECMDGOALS))
 TEST_TARGETS += $(subst check,test-all,$(patsubst check-%,test-%,$(TEST_TARGETS)))
 TEST_TARGETS := $(patsubst test-%,yes-test-%,$(patsubst btest-%,yes-btest-%,$(TEST_TARGETS)))
diff --git a/ext/extmk.rb b/ext/extmk.rb
index 464c84725b..b11010feeb 100755
--- a/ext/extmk.rb
+++ b/ext/extmk.rb
@@ -371,6 +371,9 @@ def parse_args()
     opts.on('--command-output=FILE', String) do |v|
       $command_output = v
     end
+    opts.on('--gnumake=yes|no', true) do |v|
+      $gnumake = v
+    end
   end
   begin
     $optparser.parse!(ARGV)
@@ -718,10 +721,16 @@ if $configure_only and $command_output
       mf.puts "#{tgt}:\n\t#{submake} $@"
     end
     mf.puts
-    exec = config_string("exec") {|str| str + " "}
+    if $gnumake == "yes"
+      submake = "$(MAKE) -C $(@D)"
+    else
+      submake = "cd $(@D) && "
+      config_string("exec") {|str| submake << str << " "}
+      submake << "$(MAKE)"
+    end
     targets.each do |tgt|
       exts.each do |d|
-        mf.puts "#{d[0..-2]}#{tgt}:\n\t$(Q)cd $(@D) && #{exec}$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) V=$(V) $(@F)"
+        mf.puts "#{d[0..-2]}#{tgt}:\n\t$(Q)#{submake} $(MFLAGS) V=$(V) $(@F)"
       end
     end
   end