diff --git a/py/mkrules.mk b/py/mkrules.mk
index 068d370552..ea9d3fa917 100644
--- a/py/mkrules.mk
+++ b/py/mkrules.mk
@@ -83,11 +83,11 @@ $(OBJ): | $(HEADER_BUILD)/qstrdefs.generated.h $(HEADER_BUILD)/mpversion.h
 
 $(HEADER_BUILD)/qstr.i.last: $(SRC_QSTR) | $(HEADER_BUILD)/mpversion.h
 	$(ECHO) "GEN $@"
-	if [ "$?" == "" ]; then \
+	$(Q)if [ "$?" == "" ]; then \
 	    echo "QSTR Looks like -B used, trying to emulate"; \
-	    $(Q)$(CPP) $(QSTR_GEN_EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $^ >$(HEADER_BUILD)/qstr.i.last; \
+	    $(CPP) $(QSTR_GEN_EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $^ >$(HEADER_BUILD)/qstr.i.last; \
 	else \
-	    $(Q)$(CPP) $(QSTR_GEN_EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $? >$(HEADER_BUILD)/qstr.i.last; \
+	    $(CPP) $(QSTR_GEN_EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $? >$(HEADER_BUILD)/qstr.i.last; \
 	fi
 
 $(QSTR_DEFS_COLLECTED): $(HEADER_BUILD)/qstr.i.last