diff --git a/hostapd/Makefile b/hostapd/Makefile
index 17e2caea9..538b0cfbd 100644
--- a/hostapd/Makefile
+++ b/hostapd/Makefile
@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ install: all
 	for i in $(ALL); do cp -f $$i /usr/local/bin/$$i; done
 
 ../src/drivers/build.hostapd:
-	@if [ -e ../src/drivers/build.wpa_supplicant ]; then \
+	@if [ -f ../src/drivers/build.wpa_supplicant ]; then \
 		$(MAKE) -C ../src/drivers clean; \
 	fi
 	@touch ../src/drivers/build.hostapd
diff --git a/wpa_supplicant/Makefile b/wpa_supplicant/Makefile
index 10bfd67ad..f9eebd813 100644
--- a/wpa_supplicant/Makefile
+++ b/wpa_supplicant/Makefile
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ verify_config:
 	fi
 
 mkconfig:
-	@if [ -e .config ]; then \
+	@if [ -f .config ]; then \
 		echo '.config exists - did not replace it'; \
 		exit 1; \
 	fi
@@ -1252,7 +1252,7 @@ endif
 dynamic_eap_methods: $(EAPDYN)
 
 ../src/drivers/build.wpa_supplicant:
-	@if [ -e ../src/drivers/build.hostapd ]; then \
+	@if [ -f ../src/drivers/build.hostapd ]; then \
 		$(MAKE) -C ../src/drivers clean; \
 	fi
 	@touch ../src/drivers/build.wpa_supplicant