diff --git a/bin/tests/Makefile.in b/bin/tests/Makefile.in
index acdf90804f..8eaec7ff9f 100644
--- a/bin/tests/Makefile.in
+++ b/bin/tests/Makefile.in
@@ -208,8 +208,8 @@ clean distclean::
 	rm -f t_journal
 
 test:
-	for $(dir) in $(SUBDIRS) ;\
+	for dir in $(SUBDIRS) ;\
 	do \
-		(cd $$(dir); $(MAKE) test) ;\
+		( cd $$dir; $(MAKE) test ) ;\
 	done