diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.build b/scripts/Makefile.build
index d54adf0dcf39..a467b9323442 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.build
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.build
@@ -45,12 +45,15 @@ include $(kbuild-file)
 
 include scripts/Makefile.lib
 
-# Do not include hostprogs rules unless needed
+# Do not include hostprogs rules unless needed.
+# $(sort ...) is used here to remove duplicated words and excessive spaces.
+hostprogs := $(sort $(hostprogs))
 ifneq ($(hostprogs),)
 include scripts/Makefile.host
 endif
 
 # Do not include userprogs rules unless needed.
+# $(sort ...) is used here to remove duplicated words and excessive spaces.
 userprogs := $(sort $(userprogs))
 ifneq ($(userprogs),)
 include scripts/Makefile.userprogs
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.host b/scripts/Makefile.host
index 687ca3f309e9..278b4d6ac945 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.host
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.host
@@ -38,24 +38,22 @@ $(obj)/%.tab.c $(obj)/%.tab.h: $(src)/%.y FORCE
 # Will compile qconf as a C++ program, and menu as a C program.
 # They are linked as C++ code to the executable qconf
 
-__hostprogs := $(sort $(hostprogs))
-
 # C code
 # Executables compiled from a single .c file
-host-csingle	:= $(foreach m,$(__hostprogs), \
+host-csingle	:= $(foreach m,$(hostprogs), \
 			$(if $($(m)-objs)$($(m)-cxxobjs),,$(m)))
 
 # C executables linked based on several .o files
-host-cmulti	:= $(foreach m,$(__hostprogs),\
+host-cmulti	:= $(foreach m,$(hostprogs),\
 		   $(if $($(m)-cxxobjs),,$(if $($(m)-objs),$(m))))
 
 # Object (.o) files compiled from .c files
-host-cobjs	:= $(sort $(foreach m,$(__hostprogs),$($(m)-objs)))
+host-cobjs	:= $(sort $(foreach m,$(hostprogs),$($(m)-objs)))
 
 # C++ code
 # C++ executables compiled from at least one .cc file
 # and zero or more .c files
-host-cxxmulti	:= $(foreach m,$(__hostprogs),$(if $($(m)-cxxobjs),$(m)))
+host-cxxmulti	:= $(foreach m,$(hostprogs),$(if $($(m)-cxxobjs),$(m)))
 
 # C++ Object (.o) files compiled from .cc files
 host-cxxobjs	:= $(sort $(foreach m,$(host-cxxmulti),$($(m)-cxxobjs)))