diff --git a/artiq/firmware/ksupport/Makefile b/artiq/firmware/ksupport/Makefile
index 718b2c639..ff93ec31f 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/ksupport/Makefile
+++ b/artiq/firmware/ksupport/Makefile
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ CFLAGS += \
 	-I$(LIBUNWIND_DIRECTORY) \
 	-I$(LIBUNWIND_DIRECTORY)/../unwinder/include \
 	-I$(MISOC_DIRECTORY)/software/include/dyld
-CFLAGS += -DNDEBUG
 
 LDFLAGS += --eh-frame-hdr \
 	-L../libcompiler-rt \
@@ -15,22 +14,15 @@ LDFLAGS += --eh-frame-hdr \
 
 RUSTFLAGS += -Cpanic=unwind
 
-all: ksupport.elf
+all:: ksupport.elf
 
 .PHONY: $(RUSTOUT)/libksupport.a
 $(RUSTOUT)/libksupport.a:
 	$(cargo) --manifest-path $(KSUPPORT_DIRECTORY)/Cargo.toml
 
 ksupport.elf: $(RUSTOUT)/libksupport.a glue.o
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -T $(KSUPPORT_DIRECTORY)/ksupport.ld -o $@ $^ \
+	$(link) -T $(KSUPPORT_DIRECTORY)/ksupport.ld \
 		-lunwind-elf -lcompiler-rt -lbase -lm
-	@chmod -x $@
 
 %.o: $(KSUPPORT_DIRECTORY)/%.c
 	$(compile)
-
-clean:
-	$(RM) *.o ksupport.elf
-	$(RM) -rf cargo
-
-.PHONY: all clean
diff --git a/artiq/firmware/runtime/Makefile b/artiq/firmware/runtime/Makefile
index 187793ae4..8e33691d2 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/runtime/Makefile
+++ b/artiq/firmware/runtime/Makefile
@@ -3,36 +3,28 @@ include $(MISOC_DIRECTORY)/software/common.mak
 
 CFLAGS += \
 	-I$(LIBUNWIND_DIRECTORY) \
-	-I$(LIBUNWIND_DIRECTORY)/../unwinder/include \
+	-I$(LIBUNWIND_DIRECTORY)/../unwinder/include
 
 LDFLAGS += -L../libbase \
 	-L../libunwind
 
 RUSTFLAGS += -Cpanic=abort
 
-all: runtime.bin runtime.fbi
+all:: runtime.bin runtime.fbi
 
 .PHONY: $(RUSTOUT)/libruntime.a
 $(RUSTOUT)/libruntime.a:
 	$(cargo) --manifest-path $(RUNTIME_DIRECTORY)/Cargo.toml
 
 runtime.elf: $(RUSTOUT)/libruntime.a ksupport_data.o
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -T $(RUNTIME_DIRECTORY)/runtime.ld -o $@ $^ \
+	$(link) -T $(RUNTIME_DIRECTORY)/runtime.ld \
 		-lunwind-bare
-	@chmod -x $@
 
 ksupport_data.o: ../ksupport/ksupport.elf
 	$(LD) -r -b binary -o $@ $<
 
 %.bin: %.elf
-	$(OBJCOPY) -O binary $< $@
-	@chmod -x $@
+	$(objcopy) -O binary
 
 %.fbi: %.bin
-	@echo " MSCIMG  " $@ && $(PYTHON) -m misoc.tools.mkmscimg -f -o $@ $<
-
-clean:
-	$(RM) *.o runtime.elf runtime.bin runtime.fbi
-	$(RM) -rf cargo
-
-.PHONY: all clean
+	$(mscimg) -f
diff --git a/artiq/firmware/satman/Makefile b/artiq/firmware/satman/Makefile
index 703490663..b96938d1b 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/satman/Makefile
+++ b/artiq/firmware/satman/Makefile
@@ -5,25 +5,17 @@ LDFLAGS += -L../libbase
 
 RUSTFLAGS += -Cpanic=abort
 
-all: satman.bin satman.fbi
+all:: satman.bin satman.fbi
 
 .PHONY: $(RUSTOUT)/libsatman.a
 $(RUSTOUT)/libsatman.a:
 	$(cargo) --manifest-path $(SATMAN_DIRECTORY)/Cargo.toml
 
 satman.elf: $(RUSTOUT)/libsatman.a
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -T $(SATMAN_DIRECTORY)/satman.ld -o $@ $^
-	@chmod -x $@
+	$(link) -T $(SATMAN_DIRECTORY)/satman.ld
 
 %.bin: %.elf
-	$(OBJCOPY) -O binary $< $@
-	@chmod -x $@
+	$(objcopy) -O binary
 
 %.fbi: %.bin
-	@echo " MSCIMG  " $@ && $(PYTHON) -m misoc.tools.mkmscimg -f -o $@ $<
-
-clean:
-	$(RM) satman.elf satman.bin satman.fbi
-	$(RM) -rf cargo
-
-.PHONY: all clean
+	$(mscimg) -f