diff --git a/Makefile.config b/Makefile.config
index 84fed31a1..3bb56193e 100644
--- a/Makefile.config
+++ b/Makefile.config
@@ -109,8 +109,7 @@ define copy_or_same_file
 endef
 
 INTERACTIVE = $(shell [ -t 0 ] && echo 1)
-# remove "jobserver-fds" because it contains "s"...
-SILENT = $(findstring s,$(subst jobserver-fds,,$(MAKEFLAGS)))
+SILENT = $(findstring s,$(firstword $(MAKEFLAGS)))
 
 ifeq (1,$(INTERACTIVE))
 TERM_ERROR = $(shell printf '\e[31;1m')