diff --git a/lib/Makefile.b32 b/lib/Makefile.b32
index 04d3d298a1..21c2d8a7e9 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.b32
+++ b/lib/Makefile.b32
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 # Borland's $(MAKEDIR) expands to the path where make.exe is located,
 # use this feature to define BCCDIR when user has not defined BCCDIR.
-!if "$(BCCDIR)" == ""
+!ifndef BCCDIR
 BCCDIR = $(MAKEDIR)\..
 !endif
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile.b32 b/src/Makefile.b32
index 65183c8aac..d2cf49e7eb 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.b32
+++ b/src/Makefile.b32
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 # Borland's $(MAKEDIR) expands to the path where make.exe is located,
 # use this feature to define BCCDIR when user has not defined BCCDIR.
-!if "$(BCCDIR)" == ""
+!ifndef BCCDIR
 BCCDIR = $(MAKEDIR)\..
 !endif