diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cbccfd6ec1..e1190377ab 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ check: all alltools checkheaders examples testprogs fate
 
 include $(SRC_PATH)/tests/Makefile
 
-$(sort $(OBJDIRS)):
+$(sort $(OUTDIRS)):
 	$(Q)mkdir -p $@
 
 # Dummy rule to stop make trying to rebuild removed or renamed headers
diff --git a/avbuild/common.mak b/avbuild/common.mak
index 17989533f9..9d137bd074 100644
--- a/avbuild/common.mak
+++ b/avbuild/common.mak
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ $(HOSTOBJS): | $(sort $(dir $(HOSTOBJS)))
 $(TESTOBJS): | $(sort $(dir $(TESTOBJS)))
 $(TOOLOBJS): | tools
 
-OBJDIRS := $(OBJDIRS) $(dir $(OBJS) $(HOBJS) $(HOSTOBJS) $(TESTOBJS))
+OUTDIRS := $(OUTDIRS) $(dir $(OBJS) $(HOBJS) $(HOSTOBJS) $(TESTOBJS))
 
 CLEANSUFFIXES     = *.d *.gcda *.gcno *.h.c *.map *.o *.pc *.ver *.version *~
 LIBSUFFIXES       = *.a *.lib *.so *.so.* *.dylib *.dll *.def *.dll.a
diff --git a/avtools/Makefile b/avtools/Makefile
index d95e2d9fc2..b9320572c6 100644
--- a/avtools/Makefile
+++ b/avtools/Makefile
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ $(foreach P,$(AVPROGS-yes),$(eval $(call DOAVTOOL,$(P))))
 all: $(AVPROGS)
 
 avtools/cmdutils.o: avversion.h | avtools
-OBJDIRS += avtools
+OUTDIRS += avtools
 
 ifdef AVPROGS
 install: install-progs install-data
diff --git a/doc/examples/Makefile b/doc/examples/Makefile
index 40c9557fbc..646867c734 100644
--- a/doc/examples/Makefile
+++ b/doc/examples/Makefile
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ $(EXAMPLES): %$(EXESUF): %.o
 examples: $(EXAMPLES)
 
 $(EXAMPLES:%$(EXESUF)=%.o): | doc/examples
-OBJDIRS += doc/examples
+OUTDIRS += doc/examples
 
 DOXY_INPUT += $(addprefix $(SRC_PATH)/, $(EXAMPLES:%$(EXESUF)=%.c))
 
diff --git a/tests/Makefile b/tests/Makefile
index 9fec13211f..c3dd5879bf 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile
+++ b/tests/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ THREADS = 1
 VREF = tests/vsynth1/00.pgm
 AREF = tests/data/asynth1.sw
 
-OBJDIRS += tests/data tests/vsynth1 tests/data/filtergraphs
+OUTDIRS += tests/data tests/vsynth1 tests/data/filtergraphs
 
 $(VREF): tests/videogen$(HOSTEXESUF) | tests/vsynth1
 	$(M)./$< 'tests/vsynth1/'
diff --git a/tests/checkasm/Makefile b/tests/checkasm/Makefile
index d5febec74c..debda7e9e2 100644
--- a/tests/checkasm/Makefile
+++ b/tests/checkasm/Makefile
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ CHECKASMOBJS := $(sort $(CHECKASMOBJS:%=tests/checkasm/%))
 
 CHECKASMDIRS := $(sort $(dir $(CHECKASMOBJS)))
 $(CHECKASMOBJS): | $(CHECKASMDIRS)
-OBJDIRS += $(CHECKASMDIRS)
+OUTDIRS += $(CHECKASMDIRS)
 
 CHECKASM := tests/checkasm/checkasm$(EXESUF)
 
diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
index 372287b452..5eb8a3487a 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ TOOLS-$(CONFIG_ZLIB) += cws2fws
 
 tools/cws2fws$(EXESUF): ELIBS = $(ZLIB)
 
-OBJDIRS += tools
+OUTDIRS += tools
 
 clean::
 	$(RM) $(CLEANSUFFIXES:%=tools/%)