diff --git a/pkg/Makefile b/pkg/Makefile
index e1a0140e4..0a893c414 100644
--- a/pkg/Makefile
+++ b/pkg/Makefile
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 DIRS = $(shell find . -maxdepth 1 -mindepth 1 -type d)
-.PHONY: clean dirs $(DIRS)
+.PHONY: push force-push tag forcetag show-tag clean
 
 # TODO(ijc) once all switch to `linuxkit pkg` update this to:
 # linuxkit pkg <build|push> [--force] $$d
 # linuxkit pkg show-tag $$d
 
 push:
-	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d"; done
+	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" push; done
+
+forcepush:
+	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" forcepush; done
 
 tag:
 	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" tag; done
@@ -17,4 +20,4 @@ forcetag:
 show-tag:
 	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" show-tag; done
 
-clean: ;
+clean:
diff --git a/test/pkg/Makefile b/test/pkg/Makefile
index 6fa8efb5f..3fe596255 100644
--- a/test/pkg/Makefile
+++ b/test/pkg/Makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 DIRS = $(shell find . -maxdepth 1 -mindepth 1 -type d)
-.PHONY: clean dirs $(DIRS)
+.PHONY: push forcepush tag forcetag show-tag clean
 
 push:
-	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d"; done
+	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" push; done
+
+forcepush:
+	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" forcepush; done
 
 tag:
 	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" tag; done
@@ -13,4 +16,4 @@ forcetag:
 show-tag:
 	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" show-tag; done
 
-clean: ;
+clean:
diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
index 94894d076..3fe596255 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -1,10 +1,19 @@
 DIRS = $(shell find . -maxdepth 1 -mindepth 1 -type d)
-.PHONY: clean dirs $(DIRS)
+.PHONY: push forcepush tag forcetag show-tag clean
 
-push: $(DIRS)
+push:
+	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" push; done
 
-$(DIRS):
-	$(MAKE) -C $@
+forcepush:
+	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" forcepush; done
+
+tag:
+	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" tag; done
+
+forcetag:
+	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" forcetag; done
+
+show-tag:
+	@set -e; for d in $(DIRS); do make -C "$$d" show-tag; done
 
 clean:
-	rm -f hash