diff --git a/Makefile.pre.in b/Makefile.pre.in
index ece1f34063c..54755b914a8 100644
--- a/Makefile.pre.in
+++ b/Makefile.pre.in
@@ -478,11 +478,12 @@ pybuilddir.txt: $(BUILDPYTHON)
 	$(RUNSHARED) $(PYTHON_FOR_BUILD) -S -m sysconfig --generate-posix-vars
 
 # Build the shared modules
-# MAKEFLAGS are sorted and normalized. Under GNU make the 's' for
+# Under GNU make, MAKEFLAGS are sorted and normalized; the 's' for
 # -s, --silent or --quiet is always the first char.
+# Under BSD make, MAKEFLAGS might be " -s -v x=y".
 sharedmods: $(BUILDPYTHON) pybuilddir.txt
 	@case "$$MAKEFLAGS" in \
-	    s*) quiet="-q";; \
+	    *\ -s*|s*) quiet="-q";; \
 	    *) quiet="";; \
 	esac; \
 	$(RUNSHARED) CC='$(CC)' LDSHARED='$(BLDSHARED)' OPT='$(OPT)' \
diff --git a/Misc/ACKS b/Misc/ACKS
index 253d187e966..7e6beeebcdb 100644
--- a/Misc/ACKS
+++ b/Misc/ACKS
@@ -1075,6 +1075,7 @@ Jerry Seutter
 Pete Sevander
 Denis Severson
 Ian Seyer
+Daniel Shahaf
 Ha Shao
 Mark Shannon
 Richard Shapiro
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 5fe7d1d18f0..739a5eac7d3 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -408,6 +408,8 @@ Tests
 Build
 -----
 
+- Issue #16593: Have BSD 'make -s' do the right thing, thanks to Daniel Shahaf
+
 - Issue #16262: fix out-of-src-tree builds, if mercurial is not installed.
 
 - Issue #15298: ensure _sysconfigdata is generated in build directory, not