diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5edb825..95f9597 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ default_package_files := $(wildcard appliances/default/package.*)
 appliance_package_files := $(wildcard appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/package.*)
 portage_default_package_files = $(patsubst appliances/default/package.%,$(CHROOT)/etc/portage/package.%/01default,$(default_package_files))
 portage_package_files = $(patsubst appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/package.%,$(CHROOT)/etc/portage/package.%/02$(APPLIANCE),$(appliance_package_files))
-default_make_conf = appliances/default/make.conf
+default_make_conf = $(wildcard appliances/default/make.conf)
 appliance_make_conf = $(wildcard appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/make.conf)
 portage_make_conf_local = $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/make.conf.local
 appliance_profile := default/linux/amd64/17.1/systemd
@@ -195,12 +195,12 @@ $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/package.%/02$(APPLIANCE): appliances/$(APPLIANCE)/package.
 $(CHROOT)/etc/portage/make.conf: configs/make.conf.$(VA_ARCH)
 	COPY configs/make.conf.$(VA_ARCH) /etc/portage/make.conf
 
-$(portage_make_conf_local): $(appliance_make_conf)
-	if test -f $(default_make_conf);  \
+$(portage_make_conf_local): $(default_make_conf) $(appliance_make_conf)
+	if [ -f "$(default_make_conf)" ] ;  \
 		then COPY $(default_make_conf) /etc/portage/make.conf.local; \
 	fi
-	if test -f $(default_make_conf);  \
-		then cat $< >> $(portage_make_conf_local); \
+	if [ -f "$(appliance_make_conf)" ] ;  \
+		then cat $(appliance_make_conf) >> $(portage_make_conf_local); \
 	fi
 	touch $@