diff --git a/util/Makefile b/util/Makefile
index 337320d36..96d2ec629 100644
--- a/util/Makefile
+++ b/util/Makefile
@@ -4,6 +4,15 @@ ifneq ($(SILENT),s)
     $(info Using Makefile: $(realpath $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))) $(MAKECMDGOALS))
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(SILENT),s)
+    QUIET = 1
+endif
+
+ifdef QUIET
+    .SILENT:
+    PQ = "QUIET=1"
+    PD = --no-print-directory
+endif
 
 .PHONY: atari gamate zlib
 
@@ -12,16 +21,16 @@ util: atari gamate zlib
 all: util
 
 atari:
-	@$(MAKE) -C atari --no-print-directory $@
+	@$(MAKE) -C atari $(PD) $(PQ)
 gamate:
-	@$(MAKE) -C gamate --no-print-directory $@
+	@$(MAKE) -C gamate $(PD) $(PQ)
 zlib:
-	@$(MAKE) -C zlib --no-print-directory $@
+	@$(MAKE) -C zlib $(PD) $(PQ)
 
 mostlyclean clean:
-	@$(MAKE) -C atari --no-print-directory $@
-	@$(MAKE) -C gamate --no-print-directory $@
-	@$(MAKE) -C zlib --no-print-directory $@
+	@$(MAKE) -C atari $(PD) $@ $(PQ)
+	@$(MAKE) -C gamate $(PD) $@ $(PQ)
+	@$(MAKE) -C zlib $(PD) $@ $(PQ)
 
 install zip:
 
diff --git a/util/atari/Makefile b/util/atari/Makefile
index aa3163ec4..74b7ee78a 100644
--- a/util/atari/Makefile
+++ b/util/atari/Makefile
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@ ifneq ($(SILENT),s)
     $(info Using Makefile: $(realpath $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))) $(MAKECMDGOALS))
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(SILENT),s)
+    QUIET = 1
+endif
+
+ifdef QUIET
+    .SILENT:
+endif
 
 CC = $(CROSS_COMPILE)gcc
 
@@ -28,6 +35,7 @@ CFLAGS += -O3 -Wall -Wextra -Wno-char-subscripts $(USER_CFLAGS)
 atari: ataricvt
 
 ataricvt: ataricvt.c
+	$(if $(QUIET),echo HOST:$@)
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o ataricvt ataricvt.c
 
 mostlyclean clean:
diff --git a/util/gamate/Makefile b/util/gamate/Makefile
index d9b4bbd42..7d1681c37 100644
--- a/util/gamate/Makefile
+++ b/util/gamate/Makefile
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@ ifneq ($(SILENT),s)
     $(info Using Makefile: $(realpath $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))) $(MAKECMDGOALS))
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(SILENT),s)
+    QUIET = 1
+endif
+
+ifdef QUIET
+    .SILENT:
+endif
 
 CC = $(CROSS_COMPILE)gcc
 
@@ -28,6 +35,7 @@ CFLAGS += -O3 -Wall -Wextra -Wno-char-subscripts $(USER_CFLAGS)
 gamate: gamate-fixcart
 
 gamate-fixcart: gamate-fixcart.c
+	$(if $(QUIET),echo HOST:$@)
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o gamate-fixcart gamate-fixcart.c
 
 mostlyclean clean:
diff --git a/util/zlib/Makefile b/util/zlib/Makefile
index 8068ea120..5778ae821 100644
--- a/util/zlib/Makefile
+++ b/util/zlib/Makefile
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@ ifneq ($(SILENT),s)
     $(info Using Makefile: $(realpath $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))) $(MAKECMDGOALS))
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(SILENT),s)
+    QUIET = 1
+endif
+
+ifdef QUIET
+    .SILENT:
+endif
 
 CC = $(CROSS_COMPILE)gcc
 
@@ -35,6 +42,7 @@ warning:
 	@echo "note that you need zlib installed first"
 
 deflater: deflater.c
+	$(if $(QUIET),echo HOST:$@)
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o deflater deflater.c -lz
 
 mostlyclean clean: