diff --git a/Makefile.pre.in b/Makefile.pre.in
index b6578dec082..1ce78b21527 100644
--- a/Makefile.pre.in
+++ b/Makefile.pre.in
@@ -410,11 +410,12 @@ platform: $(BUILDPYTHON)
 
 
 # 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)
 	@case "$$MAKEFLAGS" in \
-	    s*) quiet="-q";; \
+	    *\ -s*|s*) quiet="-q";; \
 	    *) quiet="";; \
 	esac; \
 	$(RUNSHARED) CC='$(CC)' LDSHARED='$(BLDSHARED)' OPT='$(OPT)' \