diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 418d205581d5..14dae59273ec 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ objtree		:= .
 src		:= $(srctree)
 obj		:= $(objtree)
 
-VPATH		:= $(srctree)$(if $(KBUILD_EXTMOD),:$(KBUILD_EXTMOD))
+VPATH		:= $(srctree)
 
 export srctree objtree VPATH
 
@@ -1699,31 +1699,23 @@ tools/%: FORCE
 #  target-dir => where to store outputfile
 #  build-dir  => directory in kernel source tree to use
 
-ifeq ($(KBUILD_EXTMOD),)
-        build-dir  = $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $@))
-        target-dir = $(dir $@)
-else
-        zap-slash=$(filter-out .,$(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $@)))
-        build-dir  = $(KBUILD_EXTMOD)$(if $(zap-slash),/$(zap-slash))
-        target-dir = $(if $(KBUILD_EXTMOD),$(dir $<),$(dir $@))
-endif
+build-target = $(if $(KBUILD_EXTMOD), $(KBUILD_EXTMOD)/)$@
+build-dir = $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(build-target)))
 
-%.s: %.c prepare FORCE
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(target-dir)$(notdir $@)
-%.i: %.c prepare FORCE
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(target-dir)$(notdir $@)
-%.o: %.c prepare FORCE
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(target-dir)$(notdir $@)
-%.lst: %.c prepare FORCE
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(target-dir)$(notdir $@)
-%.s: %.S prepare FORCE
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(target-dir)$(notdir $@)
-%.o: %.S prepare FORCE
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(target-dir)$(notdir $@)
-%.symtypes: %.c prepare FORCE
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(target-dir)$(notdir $@)
-%.ll: %.c prepare FORCE
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(target-dir)$(notdir $@)
+%.i: prepare FORCE
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(build-target)
+%.ll: prepare FORCE
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(build-target)
+%.lst: prepare FORCE
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(build-target)
+%.o: prepare FORCE
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(build-target)
+%.s: prepare FORCE
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(build-target)
+%.symtypes: prepare FORCE
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(build-target)
+%.ko: %.o
+	$(Q)$(MAKE) -f $(srctree)/scripts/Makefile.modpost
 
 # Modules
 PHONY += /
@@ -1733,9 +1725,6 @@ PHONY += /
 Documentation/ samples/: headers_install
 %/: prepare FORCE
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) KBUILD_MODULES=1 $(build)=$(build-dir)
-%.ko: prepare FORCE
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=$(build-dir) $(@:.ko=.o)
-	$(Q)$(MAKE) -f $(srctree)/scripts/Makefile.modpost
 
 # FIXME Should go into a make.lib or something
 # ===========================================================================