diff --git a/include/image.mk b/include/image.mk
index d00f779fe9..b094428770 100644
--- a/include/image.mk
+++ b/include/image.mk
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/prereq.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/kernel.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/host.mk
+
+override MAKEFLAGS=
+override MAKE:=$(SUBMAKE)
 KDIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/linux-$(KERNEL)-$(BOARD)
 
 ifneq ($(CONFIG_BIG_ENDIAN),y)
@@ -94,14 +97,14 @@ define BuildImage
 download:
 prepare:
 ifneq ($(IB),1)
-  compile: compile-targets
+  compile: compile-targets FORCE
 	$(call Build/Compile)
 else
   compile:
 endif
 
 ifneq ($(IB),1)
-  install: compile install-targets
+  install: compile install-targets FORCE
 	$(call Image/Prepare)
 	$(call Image/mkfs/prepare)
 	$(call Image/BuildKernel)
diff --git a/include/kernel-build.mk b/include/kernel-build.mk
index b3fcd9056f..da1fe39bca 100644
--- a/include/kernel-build.mk
+++ b/include/kernel-build.mk
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ oldconfig menuconfig: $(STAMP_PREPARED) FORCE
 	$(SCRIPT_DIR)/config.pl '>' $(GENERIC_LINUX_CONFIG) $(LINUX_DIR)/.config > $(LINUX_CONFIG)
 
 install: $(LINUX_DIR)/.image
-	$(MAKE) -C image install
+	$(MAKE) -C image compile install
 
 clean: FORCE
 	rm -f $(STAMP_DIR)/.linux-compile
@@ -188,6 +188,6 @@ rebuild: FORCE
 	@$(MAKE) compile
 
 image-prereq:
-	$(MAKE) -s -C image prereq
+	$(SUBMAKE) -s -C image prereq
 
 prereq: image-prereq