diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 58c44eede2..474f5070cf 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -645,9 +645,7 @@ sounds:
 # last clean count we had
 
 cleantest:
-	@if ! cmp -s .cleancount .lastclean ; then \
-		$(MAKE) clean;\
-	fi
+	@cmp -s .cleancount .lastclean || $(MAKE) clean
 
 $(SUBDIRS_UNINSTALL):
 	@$(MAKE) --no-print-directory -C $(@:-uninstall=) uninstall