diff --git a/build/rules/dylib b/build/rules/dylib
index 783defeda..4d8aca3bc 100644
--- a/build/rules/dylib
+++ b/build/rules/dylib
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ DYLIB      = $(SHLIB)
 DYLIBFLAGS = $(SHLIBFLAGS)
 endif
 
+target := $(strip $(target))
+target_version := $(strip $(target_version))
+target_libs := $(strip $(target_libs))
+
 DYLIB_DEBUG        = $(BINPATH)/$(target)d$(OSARCH_POSTFIX)$(SHL_EXT)
 DYLIB_RELEASE      = $(BINPATH)/$(target)$(OSARCH_POSTFIX)$(SHL_EXT)
 DYLIB_S_DEBUG      = $(BINPATH)/static/$(target)d$(OSARCH_POSTFIX)$(SHL_EXT)
diff --git a/build/rules/exec b/build/rules/exec
index ef6a75833..32ec7eef4 100644
--- a/build/rules/exec
+++ b/build/rules/exec
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 # Rule definitions for building executables
 #
 
+target := $(strip $(target))
+target_version := $(strip $(target_version))
+target_libs := $(strip $(target_libs))
+
 #
 # Target names
 #
diff --git a/build/rules/global b/build/rules/global
index 32e5403a2..ad15f28a0 100644
--- a/build/rules/global
+++ b/build/rules/global
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 # POCO_TARGET_OSARCH: Target system architecture (forr cross builds)
 #
 
+target := $(strip $(target))
+target_version := $(strip $(target_version))
+target_libs := $(strip $(target_libs))
+
 #
 # Check for POCO_BASE
 #
diff --git a/build/rules/lib b/build/rules/lib
index 376687563..9ba932039 100644
--- a/build/rules/lib
+++ b/build/rules/lib
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 # Rule definitions for building libraries
 #
 
+target := $(strip $(target))
+target_version := $(strip $(target_version))
+target_libs := $(strip $(target_libs))
+
 #
 # Target names
 #