diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6774efbfd..402fee28d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-ifneq (3.82, $(firstword $(sort $(MAKE_VERSION) 3.82)))
-$(error make require version 3.82 or higher)
+MIN_MAKE_VERSION = 3.82
+ifneq ($(MIN_MAKE_VERSION), $(firstword $(sort $(MAKE_VERSION) $(MIN_MAKE_VERSION))))
+$(error this project requires make version $(MIN_MAKE_VERSION) or higher)
 endif
 
 SHELL:=/bin/bash