diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1eb0174d2..c20bf912a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -125,10 +125,10 @@ CHECK_PATHS		:=	${ROOT_DIRS_TO_CHECK} ${INCLUDE_DIRS_TO_CHECK} ${LIB_DIRS_TO_CHE
 
 # Verbose flag
 ifeq (${V},0)
-        Q=@
+        Q:=@
         CHECKCODE_ARGS	+=	--no-summary --terse
 else
-        Q=
+        Q:=
 endif
 export Q
 
diff --git a/tools/fip_create/Makefile b/tools/fip_create/Makefile
index da993024f..b12e06384 100644
--- a/tools/fip_create/Makefile
+++ b/tools/fip_create/Makefile
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY := ../../make_helpers/
 include ${MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY}build_macros.mk
 include ${MAKE_HELPERS_DIRECTORY}build_env.mk
 
-PROJECT = fip_create
-OBJECTS = fip_create.o
+PROJECT := fip_create
+OBJECTS := fip_create.o
 COPIED_H_FILES := uuid.h firmware_image_package.h
 
-CFLAGS = -Wall -Werror -pedantic -std=c99
+CFLAGS := -Wall -Werror -pedantic -std=c99
 ifeq (${DEBUG},1)
   CFLAGS += -g -O0 -DDEBUG
 else
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ else
 endif
 
 # Only include from local directory (see comment below).
-INCLUDE_PATHS = -I.
+INCLUDE_PATHS := -I.
 
 CC := gcc