diff --git a/sys/unix/Makefile.src b/sys/unix/Makefile.src
index 8584a3cd8..821540f3a 100644
--- a/sys/unix/Makefile.src
+++ b/sys/unix/Makefile.src
@@ -473,8 +473,8 @@ monstr.c: $(MAKEDEFS)
 	@( cd ../util ; $(MAKE) ../src/monstr.c )
 ../include/vis_tab.h: $(MAKEDEFS)
 	@( cd ../util ; $(MAKE) ../include/vis_tab.h )
-vis_tab.c: $(MAKEDEFS)
-	@( cd ../util ; $(MAKE) ../src/vis_tab.c )
+# makedefs -z makes both vis_tab.h and vis_tab.c, but writes the .h first
+vis_tab.c: ../include/vis_tab.h
 tile.c: ../win/share/tilemap.c $(HACK_H)
 	@( cd ../util ; $(MAKE) ../src/tile.c )
 
diff --git a/sys/unix/Makefile.top b/sys/unix/Makefile.top
index f96a11a7e..680a74ded 100644
--- a/sys/unix/Makefile.top
+++ b/sys/unix/Makefile.top
@@ -90,42 +90,45 @@ $(GAME):
 all:	$(GAME) Guidebook $(VARDAT) dungeon spec_levs check-dlb
 	@echo "Done."
 
+# Note: many of the dependencies below are here to allow parallel make
+# to generate valid output
+
 Guidebook:
 	( cd doc ; $(MAKE) Guidebook )
 
 manpages:
 	( cd doc ; $(MAKE) manpages )
 
-data:
+data: $(GAME)
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) data )
 
-rumors:
+rumors: $(GAME)
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) rumors )
 
-oracles:
+oracles: $(GAME)
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) oracles )
 
 #	Note: options should have already been made with make, but...
-options:
+options: $(GAME)
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) options )
 
-quest.dat:
+quest.dat: $(GAME)
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) quest.dat )
 
-spec_levs:
+spec_levs: dungeon
 	( cd util ; $(MAKE) lev_comp )
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) spec_levs )
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) quest_levs )
 
-dungeon:
+dungeon: $(GAME)
 	( cd util ; $(MAKE) dgn_comp )
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) dungeon )
 
-x11tiles:
+x11tiles: $(GAME)
 	( cd util ; $(MAKE) tile2x11 )
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) x11tiles )
 
-beostiles:
+beostiles: $(GAME)
 	( cd util ; $(MAKE) tile2beos )
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) beostiles )
 
@@ -141,7 +144,7 @@ mapbg.xpm:
 nhsplash.xpm:
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) nhsplash.xpm )
 
-nh16.img:
+nh16.img: $(GAME)
 	( cd util ; $(MAKE) tile2img.ttp )
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) nh16.img )
 
@@ -151,8 +154,7 @@ GEM_RSC.RSC:
 title.img:
 	( cd dat ; $(MAKE) title.img )
 
-check-dlb:
-	( cd dat; $(MAKE) options )
+check-dlb: options
 	@if egrep -s librarian dat/options ; then $(MAKE) dlb ; else true ; fi
 
 dlb:
diff --git a/sys/unix/Makefile.utl b/sys/unix/Makefile.utl
index 3da3d53d9..327cd523f 100644
--- a/sys/unix/Makefile.utl
+++ b/sys/unix/Makefile.utl
@@ -187,8 +187,8 @@ makedefs.o: makedefs.c $(CONFIG_H) ../include/permonst.h \
 	./makedefs -m
 ../include/vis_tab.h: makedefs
 	./makedefs -z
-../src/vis_tab.c: makedefs
-	./makedefs -z
+# makedefs -z makes both vis_tab.h and vis_tab.c, but writes the .h first
+../src/vis_tab.c: ../include/vis_tab.h
 
 lintdefs:
 	@lint -axbh -I../include -DLINT $(MAKESRC) $(CMONOBJ) | sed '/_flsbuf/d'