diff --git a/mk/spdk.lib.mk b/mk/spdk.lib.mk
index a9ad7b414..22ada3554 100644
--- a/mk/spdk.lib.mk
+++ b/mk/spdk.lib.mk
@@ -50,11 +50,24 @@ else
 LOCAL_SYS_LIBS += -lrt
 endif
 
+define subdirs_rule
+$(1): $(2)
+	@+$(Q)$(MAKE) -C $(1) S=$S$(S:%=/)$@ $(MAKECMDGOALS)
+endef
+
+$(foreach dir,$(DIRS-y),$(eval $(call subdirs_rule,$(dir),$(DEP))))
+
+ifneq ($(DIRS-y),)
+BUILD_DEP := $(DIRS-y)
+else
+BUILD_DEP := $(DEP)
+endif
+
 SPDK_DEP_LIBS = $(call spdk_lib_list_to_shared_libs,$(SPDK_DEP_LIBNAMES))
 
 .PHONY: all clean $(DIRS-y)
 
-all: $(DEP) $(DIRS-y)
+all: $(BUILD_DEP)
 	@:
 
 clean: $(DIRS-y)
@@ -76,12 +89,10 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_SHARED),y)
 	$(INSTALL_SHARED_LIB)
 endif
 
-uninstall:
+uninstall: $(DIRS-y)
 	$(UNINSTALL_LIB)
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_SHARED),y)
 	$(UNINSTALL_SHARED_LIB)
 endif
 
 include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.deps.mk
-
-include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.subdirs.mk