diff --git a/core/definitions.mk b/core/definitions.mk
index df3a59e11..5bad23e8e 100644
--- a/core/definitions.mk
+++ b/core/definitions.mk
@@ -3093,7 +3093,7 @@ endef
 define create-suite-dependencies
 $(foreach suite, $(LOCAL_COMPATIBILITY_SUITE), \
   $(eval COMPATIBILITY.$(suite).FILES := \
-    $(COMPATIBILITY.$(suite).FILES) $(foreach f,$(my_compat_dist_$(suite)),$(call word-colon,2,$(f))))) \
+    $$(COMPATIBILITY.$(suite).FILES) $$(foreach f,$$(my_compat_dist_$(suite)),$$(call word-colon,2,$$(f))))) \
 $(eval $(my_all_targets) : $(call copy-many-files, \
   $(sort $(foreach suite,$(LOCAL_COMPATIBILITY_SUITE),$(my_compat_dist_$(suite))))))
 endef