diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index f0e8458..e7eafe8 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Put some miscellaneous rules here
 
+# HACK: clear LOCAL_PATH from including last build target before calling
+# intermedites-dir-for
+LOCAL_PATH := $(BUILD_SYSTEM)
+
 # Pick a reasonable string to use to identify files.
 ifneq "" "$(filter eng.%,$(BUILD_NUMBER))"
   # BUILD_NUMBER has a timestamp in it, which means that
@@ -650,10 +654,6 @@
 
 INSTALLED_RECOVERYIMAGE_TARGET := $(PRODUCT_OUT)/recovery.img
 
-# HACK: clear LOCAL_PATH from including last build target before calling
-# intermedites-dir-for
-LOCAL_PATH := $(call my-dir)
-
 recovery_initrc := $(call include-path-for, recovery)/etc/init.rc
 recovery_kernel := $(INSTALLED_KERNEL_TARGET) # same as a non-recovery system
 recovery_ramdisk := $(PRODUCT_OUT)/ramdisk-recovery.img
diff --git a/core/definitions.mk b/core/definitions.mk
index 783cf3d..94e7432 100644
--- a/core/definitions.mk
+++ b/core/definitions.mk
@@ -118,14 +118,15 @@
 
 ###########################################################
 ## Retrieve the directory of the current makefile
+## Must be called before including any other makefile!!
 ###########################################################
 
 # Figure out where we are.
 define my-dir
 $(strip \
   $(eval LOCAL_MODULE_MAKEFILE := $$(lastword $$(MAKEFILE_LIST))) \
-  $(if $(filter $(CLEAR_VARS),$(LOCAL_MODULE_MAKEFILE)), \
-    $(error LOCAL_PATH must be set before including $$(CLEAR_VARS)) \
+  $(if $(filter $(BUILD_SYSTEM)/% $(OUT_DIR)/%,$(LOCAL_MODULE_MAKEFILE)), \
+    $(error my-dir must be called before including any other makefile.) \
    , \
     $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(LOCAL_MODULE_MAKEFILE))) \
    ) \
@@ -154,6 +155,7 @@
 
 ###########################################################
 ## Retrieve a list of all makefiles immediately below your directory
+## Must be called before including any other makefile!!
 ###########################################################
 
 define all-subdir-makefiles
@@ -163,6 +165,7 @@
 ###########################################################
 ## Look in the named list of directories for makefiles,
 ## relative to the current directory.
+## Must be called before including any other makefile!!
 ###########################################################
 
 # $(1): List of directories to look for under this directory