diff --git a/conf.d/desktop.mk b/conf.d/desktop.mk
index 07a091d3..1d9860e6 100644
--- a/conf.d/desktop.mk
+++ b/conf.d/desktop.mk
@@ -7,18 +7,15 @@ distro/.desktop-base: distro/.installer \
 
 distro/.desktop-mini: distro/.desktop-base \
 	use/lowmem use/x11/xdm use/power/acpi/button \
-	use/cleanup/alterator
+	use/cleanup/alterator; @:
 
-distro/icewm: distro/.desktop-mini +icewm
-
-distro/tde: distro/.desktop-mini use/x11/kdm
+distro/tde: distro/.desktop-mini +tde
 	@$(call add,BASE_LISTS, \
-		$(call tags,(base || desktop) && (network || tde)))
+		$(call tags,(base || desktop) && network))
 
-distro/ltsp-icewm: distro/icewm +ltsp
-
-distro/ltsp-tde: distro/tde +ltsp
-
-distro/desktop-systemd: distro/icewm use/systemd
+distro/icewm: distro/.desktop-mini +icewm; @:
+distro/ltsp-icewm: distro/icewm +ltsp; @:
+distro/ltsp-tde: distro/tde +ltsp; @:
+distro/desktop-systemd: distro/icewm use/systemd; @:
 
 endif
diff --git a/conf.d/live.mk b/conf.d/live.mk
index b60bbac2..6477ac18 100644
--- a/conf.d/live.mk
+++ b/conf.d/live.mk
@@ -2,15 +2,14 @@
 ifeq (distro,$(IMAGE_CLASS))
 
 distro/syslinux: distro/.init \
-	use/syslinux/localboot.cfg use/syslinux/ui-vesamenu \
-	use/hdt use/memtest
+	use/syslinux/localboot.cfg use/syslinux/ui-vesamenu use/hdt; @:
 
-distro/dos: distro/.init use/dos use/syslinux/ui-menu
-distro/rescue: distro/.base use/rescue use/syslinux/ui-menu
-distro/live-systemd: distro/.base use/live/base use/systemd
+distro/dos: distro/.init use/dos use/syslinux/ui-menu; @:
+distro/rescue: distro/.base use/rescue use/syslinux/ui-menu; @:
+distro/live-systemd: distro/.base use/live/base use/systemd; @:
 
-distro/.live-base: distro/.base use/live/base use/power/acpi/button
-distro/.live-desktop: distro/.base use/syslinux/ui-vesamenu +live
+distro/.live-base: distro/.base use/live/base use/power/acpi/button; @:
+distro/.live-desktop: distro/.base use/syslinux/ui-vesamenu +live; @:
 
 distro/live-isomd5sum: distro/.base use/live/base use/isomd5sum
 	@$(call add,LIVE_PACKAGES,livecd-isomd5sum)
@@ -26,9 +25,9 @@ distro/live-builder: distro/.live-base use/dev/mkimage use/dev/repo
 distro/live-install: distro/.live-base use/syslinux/localboot.cfg
 	@$(call add,LIVE_PACKAGES,live-install)
 
-distro/live-icewm: distro/.live-desktop use/live/autologin +icewm
-distro/live-razorqt: distro/.live-desktop +razorqt
-distro/live-tde: distro/.live-desktop +tde
+distro/live-icewm: distro/.live-desktop use/live/autologin +icewm; @:
+distro/live-razorqt: distro/.live-desktop +razorqt; @:
+distro/live-tde: distro/.live-desktop +tde; @:
 
 distro/live-rescue: distro/live-icewm
 	@$(call add,LIVE_LISTS,$(call tags,rescue && (fs || live || x11)))
diff --git a/conf.d/server.mk b/conf.d/server.mk
index 4b776bcd..9c54b2b6 100644
--- a/conf.d/server.mk
+++ b/conf.d/server.mk
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ distro/server-mini: distro/.server-base use/cleanup/x11-alterator
 		$(call tags,base && (server || network || security || pkg)))
 	@$(call add,BASE_LISTS,$(call tags,extra (server || network)))
 
-distro/server-systemd: distro/server-mini use/systemd use/bootloader/lilo
+distro/server-systemd: distro/server-mini use/systemd use/bootloader/lilo; @:
 
 distro/server-ovz: distro/server-mini \
 	use/hdt use/rescue use/firmware/server use/power/acpi/button
diff --git a/features.in/hdt/config.mk b/features.in/hdt/config.mk
index 616a22d0..c8ec7baa 100644
--- a/features.in/hdt/config.mk
+++ b/features.in/hdt/config.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-use/hdt: use/syslinux use/memtest
+# optimized out use/syslinux due to use/memtest
+use/hdt: use/memtest
 	@$(call add_feature)
 	@$(call add,STAGE1_PACKAGES,pciids)
 	@$(call add,SYSLINUX_MODULES,hdt)
diff --git a/features.in/live/config.mk b/features.in/live/config.mk
index 70c12720..6b6669e3 100644
--- a/features.in/live/config.mk
+++ b/features.in/live/config.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-+live: use/live/desktop
++live: use/live/desktop; @:
 
 # copy stage2 as live
 use/live: use/stage2 sub/stage2/live
diff --git a/features.in/ltsp/config.mk b/features.in/ltsp/config.mk
index 2db13a3d..3fb63424 100644
--- a/features.in/ltsp/config.mk
+++ b/features.in/ltsp/config.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-+ltsp: use/ltsp/base
++ltsp: use/ltsp/base; @:
 
 use/ltsp:
 	@$(call add,INSTALL2_PACKAGES,installer-feature-ltsp-stage2)
diff --git a/features.in/x11/config.mk b/features.in/x11/config.mk
index c0b107ad..6fab1333 100644
--- a/features.in/x11/config.mk
+++ b/features.in/x11/config.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-+icewm: use/x11/icewm
-+razorqt: use/x11/razorqt use/x11/lightdm
-+tde: use/x11/tde use/x11/kdm
++icewm: use/x11/icewm; @:
++razorqt: use/x11/razorqt use/x11/lightdm; @:
++tde: use/x11/tde use/x11/kdm; @:
 
 use/x11/xorg:
 	@$(call add,THE_LISTS,xorg)
diff --git a/lib/distro.mk b/lib/distro.mk
index b1477902..6177d069 100644
--- a/lib/distro.mk
+++ b/lib/distro.mk
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@ sub/%:
 	@$(call add,SUBPROFILES,$(@:sub/%=%))
 
 # install media bootloader
-boot/%: use/syslinux
+boot/%:
 	@$(call set,BOOTLOADER,$*)
 
 # fundamental targets
 
-distro/.init: profile/bare
+distro/.init: profile/bare; @:
 
 # NB: the last flavour in KFLAVOURS gets to be the default one;
 # the kernel packages regexp evaluation has to take place at build stage
@@ -29,6 +29,6 @@ distro/installer: distro/.base use/install2 use/syslinux/localboot.cfg
 	@$(call set,INSTALLER,altlinux-generic)
 	@$(call set,STAGE1_KMODULES_REGEXP,drm.*)	# for KMS
 
-distro/.installer: distro/installer use/bootloader/grub use/repo/main
+distro/.installer: distro/installer use/bootloader/grub use/repo/main; @:
 
 endif
diff --git a/lib/sugar.mk b/lib/sugar.mk
index ddb24262..763af890 100644
--- a/lib/sugar.mk
+++ b/lib/sugar.mk
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ config/name/%:
 	@$(call set,IMAGE_NAME,$*)
 
 # the final thing will pull the rest in
-build: postclean
+build: postclean; @: