diff --git a/first/build.lua b/first/build.lua
index 9fbc78080..5f514c593 100644
--- a/first/build.lua
+++ b/first/build.lua
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ definerule("cprogram",
 		commands = {
 			type="strings",
 			default={
-				"$(CC) $LDFLAGS -o %{outs[1]} %{ins} %{ins}"
+				"$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o %{outs[1]} %{ins} %{ins}"
 			},
 		}
 	},
diff --git a/mach/proto/fp/build.lua b/mach/proto/fp/build.lua
index 8ea46b5be..63668e668 100644
--- a/mach/proto/fp/build.lua
+++ b/mach/proto/fp/build.lua
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ for _, plat in ipairs({"cpm"}) do
 			},
 			outleaves = { n..".s" },
 			commands = {
-				"$LUA %{ins[1]} <%{ins[2]} >%{outs}"
+				"$(LUA) %{ins[1]} <%{ins[2]} >%{outs}"
 			}
 		}
 	end
diff --git a/modules/src/em_code/build.lua b/modules/src/em_code/build.lua
index 37392d425..69e6ea3fd 100644
--- a/modules/src/em_code/build.lua
+++ b/modules/src/em_code/build.lua
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ normalrule {
 	},
 	outleaves = { "em_codeEK.h" },
 	commands = {
-		"$LUA %{ins[1]} < %{ins[3]} > %{outs}",
+		"$(LUA) %{ins[1]} < %{ins[3]} > %{outs}",
 		"cat %{ins[4]} >> %{outs}"
 	}
 }
diff --git a/modules/src/em_data/build.lua b/modules/src/em_data/build.lua
index a5e8206df..826af9933 100644
--- a/modules/src/em_data/build.lua
+++ b/modules/src/em_data/build.lua
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ for _, f in ipairs(GENFILES) do
 			"h+emheaders"
 		},
 		commands = {
-			"$LUA %{ins[1]} < %{ins[3]} > %{outs}"
+			"$(LUA) %{ins[1]} < %{ins[3]} > %{outs}"
 		}
 	}
 end
diff --git a/modules/src/read_em/build.lua b/modules/src/read_em/build.lua
index 8acbd6d07..cc94904dd 100644
--- a/modules/src/read_em/build.lua
+++ b/modules/src/read_em/build.lua
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ normalrule {
 	},
 	outleaves = "C_mnem_narg.h",
 	commands = {
-		"$LUA %{ins[1]} < %{ins[3]} > %{outs}"
+		"$(LUA) %{ins[1]} < %{ins[3]} > %{outs}"
 	}
 }
 	
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ normalrule {
 	},
 	outleaves = "C_mnem.h",
 	commands = {
-		"$LUA %{ins[1]} < %{ins[3]} > %{outs}"
+		"$(LUA) %{ins[1]} < %{ins[3]} > %{outs}"
 	}
 }
 	
diff --git a/util/ncgg/build.lua b/util/ncgg/build.lua
index c514306b1..ffceb03fe 100644
--- a/util/ncgg/build.lua
+++ b/util/ncgg/build.lua
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ normalrule {
 	},
 	outleaves = { "enterkeyw.c" },
 	commands = {
-		"$LUA %{ins[1]} < %{ins[2]} > %{outs[1]}"
+		"$(LUA) %{ins[1]} < %{ins[2]} > %{outs[1]}"
 	}
 }