diff --git a/config/makefiles/ops.in b/config/makefiles/ops.in
index 6967aae..3de9350 100644
--- a/config/makefiles/ops.in
+++ b/config/makefiles/ops.in
@@ -1,39 +1,46 @@
 ## $Id$
 
 # values from parrot_config
-VERSION_DIR   = @versiondir@
-INCLUDE_DIR   = @includedir@$(VERSION_DIR)
-LIB_DIR       = @libdir@$(VERSION_DIR)
-#STAGING_DIR   = ../../dynext
-STAGING_DIR   = @build_dir@/runtime/parrot/dynext
-#INSTALL_DIR   = $(LIB_DIR)/languages/wmlscript/dynext
-INSTALL_DIR   = $(LIB_DIR)/dynext
+VERSION_DIR   := @versiondir@
+INCLUDE_DIR   := @includedir@$(VERSION_DIR)
+LIB_DIR       := @libdir@$(VERSION_DIR)
+#STAGING_DIR   := ../../dynext
+STAGING_DIR   := @build_dir@/runtime/parrot/dynext
+#INSTALL_DIR   := $(LIB_DIR)/languages/wmlscript2/dynext
+INSTALL_DIR   := $(LIB_DIR)/dynext
 
 # Set up extensions
-LOAD_EXT      = @load_ext@
-O             = @o@
+LOAD_EXT      := @load_ext@
+O             := @o@
 
 # Setup some commands
-PERL          = @perl@
-RM_F          = @rm_f@
-CHMOD         = @chmod@
-CP            = @cp@
-CC            = @cc@ -c
-LD            = @ld@
-LDFLAGS       = @ldflags@ @ld_debug@ @rpath_blib@ @linkflags@
-LD_LOAD_FLAGS = @ld_load_flags@
-CFLAGS        = @ccflags@ @cc_shared@ @cc_debug@ @ccwarn@ @cc_hasjit@ @cg_flag@ @gc_flag@
-CC_OUT        = @cc_o_out@
-LD_OUT        = @ld_out@
-#IF(parrot_is_shared):LIBPARROT     = @libparrot_ldflags@
-#ELSE:LIBPARROT     =
-
-OPS2C           = $(PERL) $(LIB_DIR)/tools/build/ops2c.pl
-
-INCLUDES        = -I$(INCLUDE_DIR) -I$(INCLUDE_DIR)/pmc
-LINKARGS        = $(LDFLAGS) $(LD_LOAD_FLAGS) $(LIBPARROT)
-
-OPS_FILE = wmls.ops
+PERL          := @perl@
+RM_F          := @rm_f@
+CHMOD         := @chmod@
+CP            := @cp@
+CC            := @cc@ -c
+LD            := @ld@
+LDFLAGS       := @ldflags@ @ld_debug@ @rpath_blib@ @linkflags@
+LD_LOAD_FLAGS := @ld_load_flags@
+CFLAGS        := @ccflags@ @cc_shared@ @cc_debug@ @ccwarn@ @cc_hasjit@ @cg_flag@ @gc_flag@
+CC_OUT        := @cc_o_out@
+LD_OUT        := @ld_out@
+#IF(parrot_is_shared):LIBPARROT     := @libparrot_ldflags@
+#ELSE:LIBPARROT     :=
+
+OPS2C           := $(PERL) $(LIB_DIR)/tools/build/ops2c.pl
+
+INCLUDES        := -I$(INCLUDE_DIR) -I$(INCLUDE_DIR)/pmc
+LINKARGS        := $(LDFLAGS) $(LD_LOAD_FLAGS) $(LIBPARROT)
+
+OPS_FILE := wmls.ops
+
+CLEANUPS := \
+  "*$(LOAD_EXT)" \
+  "*$(O)" \
+  "*.c" \
+  "*.h" \
+  "$(STAGING_DIR)/wmlscript2_ops*$(LOAD_EXT)"
 
 
 all: staging
@@ -71,11 +78,10 @@ Makefile: ../../config/makefiles/ops.in
 	cd ../.. && $(PERL) Configure.pl
 
 clean:
-	$(RM_F) "*$(LOAD_EXT)" "*$(O)" "*.c" "*.h" \
-	    "$(STAGING_DIR)/wmls_ops*$(LOAD_EXT)"
+	$(RM_F) $(CLEANUPS)
 
-realclean: clean
-	$(RM_F) Makefile
+realclean:
+	$(RM_F) $(CLEANUPS) Makefile
 
 # Local variables:
 #   mode: makefile
diff --git a/config/makefiles/pmc.in b/config/makefiles/pmc.in
index 69471cc..59f215f 100644
--- a/config/makefiles/pmc.in
+++ b/config/makefiles/pmc.in
@@ -1,44 +1,44 @@
 ## $Id$
 
 # values from parrot_config
-VERSION_DIR   = @versiondir@
-INCLUDE_DIR   = @includedir@$(VERSION_DIR)
-LIB_DIR       = @libdir@$(VERSION_DIR)
-SRC_DIR       = @srcdir@$(VERSION_DIR)
-TOOLS_DIR     = @libdir@$(VERSION_DIR)/tools/lib
-#STAGING_DIR   = ../../dynext
-STAGING_DIR   = @build_dir@/runtime/parrot/dynext
-#INSTALL_DIR   = $(LIB_DIR)/languages/wmlscript2/dynext
-INSTALL_DIR   = $(LIB_DIR)/dynext
+VERSION_DIR   := @versiondir@
+INCLUDE_DIR   := @includedir@$(VERSION_DIR)
+LIB_DIR       := @libdir@$(VERSION_DIR)
+SRC_DIR       := @srcdir@$(VERSION_DIR)
+TOOLS_DIR     := @libdir@$(VERSION_DIR)/tools/lib
+#STAGING_DIR   := ../../dynext
+STAGING_DIR   := @build_dir@/runtime/parrot/dynext
+#INSTALL_DIR   := $(LIB_DIR)/languages/wmlscript2/dynext
+INSTALL_DIR   := $(LIB_DIR)/dynext
 
 # Set up extensions
-LOAD_EXT      = @load_ext@
-O             = @o@
+LOAD_EXT      := @load_ext@
+O             := @o@
 
 # Setup some commands
-PERL          = @perl@
-RM_F          = @rm_f@
-CHMOD         = @chmod@
-CP            = @cp@
-CC            = @cc@ -c
-LD            = @ld@
-LDFLAGS       = @ldflags@ @ld_debug@
-LD_LOAD_FLAGS = @ld_load_flags@
-CFLAGS        = @ccflags@ @cc_shared@ @cc_debug@ @ccwarn@ @cc_hasjit@ @cg_flag@ @gc_flag@
-CC_OUT        = @cc_o_out@
-LD_OUT        = @ld_out@
-#IF(parrot_is_shared):LIBPARROT     = @libparrot_ldflags@
-#ELSE:LIBPARROT     =
-
-PMC2C_INCLUDES  = --include $(SRC_DIR) --include $(SRC_DIR)/pmc
-PMC2C           = $(PERL) $(LIB_DIR)/tools/build/pmc2c.pl
-PMC2CD          = $(PMC2C) --dump $(PMC2C_INCLUDES)
-PMC2CC          = $(PMC2C) --c $(PMC2C_INCLUDES)
-
-INCLUDES        = -I$(INCLUDE_DIR) -I$(INCLUDE_DIR)/pmc
-LINKARGS        = $(LDFLAGS) $(LD_LOAD_FLAGS) $(LIBPARROT)
-
-PMC_SOURCES = \
+PERL          := @perl@
+RM_F          := @rm_f@
+CHMOD         := @chmod@
+CP            := @cp@
+CC            := @cc@ -c
+LD            := @ld@
+LDFLAGS       := @ldflags@ @ld_debug@
+LD_LOAD_FLAGS := @ld_load_flags@
+CFLAGS        := @ccflags@ @cc_shared@ @cc_debug@ @ccwarn@ @cc_hasjit@ @cg_flag@ @gc_flag@
+CC_OUT        := @cc_o_out@
+LD_OUT        := @ld_out@
+#IF(parrot_is_shared):LIBPARROT     := @libparrot_ldflags@
+#ELSE:LIBPARROT     :=
+
+PMC2C_INCLUDES  := --include $(SRC_DIR) --include $(SRC_DIR)/pmc
+PMC2C           := $(PERL) $(LIB_DIR)/tools/build/pmc2c.pl
+PMC2CD          := $(PMC2C) --dump $(PMC2C_INCLUDES)
+PMC2CC          := $(PMC2C) --c $(PMC2C_INCLUDES)
+
+INCLUDES        := -I$(INCLUDE_DIR) -I$(INCLUDE_DIR)/pmc
+LINKARGS        := $(LDFLAGS) $(LD_LOAD_FLAGS) $(LIBPARROT)
+
+PMC_SOURCES := \
   wmlsinteger.pmc \
   wmlsfloat.pmc \
   wmlsstring.pmc \
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ PMC_SOURCES = \
   wmlsinvalid.pmc \
   wmlsbytecode.pmc
 
-WMLSCRIPT_GROUP = wmls_group
+WMLSCRIPT_GROUP := wmls_group
 
-OBJS = \
+OBJS := \
   lib-$(WMLSCRIPT_GROUP)$(O) \
   wmlsinteger$(O) \
   wmlsfloat$(O) \
@@ -57,6 +57,19 @@ OBJS = \
   wmlsinvalid$(O) \
   wmlsbytecode$(O)
 
+CLEANUPS := \
+  "*$(LOAD_EXT)" \
+  "*$(O)" \
+  "*.c" \
+  "*.h" \
+  "*.dump" \
+#IF(win32):  "*.exp" \
+#IF(win32):  "*.ilk" \
+#IF(win32):  "*.manifext" \
+#IF(win32):  "*.pdb" \
+#IF(win32):  "*.lib" \
+  $(STAGING_DIR)/$(WMLSCRIPT2_GROUP)$(LOAD_EXT)
+
 
 all: staging
 
@@ -102,12 +115,10 @@ Makefile: ../../config/makefiles/pmc.in
 	cd ../.. && $(PERL) Configure.pl
 
 clean:
-	$(RM_F) "*$(LOAD_EXT)" "*$(O)" "*.c" "*.h" "*.dump" \
-	    $(STAGING_DIR)/$(WMLSCRIPT_GROUP)$(LOAD_EXT)
-#IF(win32):	$(RM_F) "*.exp" "*.ilk" "*.manifext" "*.pdb" "*.lib"
+	$(RM_F) $(CLEANUPS)
 
-realclean: clean
-	$(RM_F) Makefile
+realclean:
+	$(RM_F) $(CLEANUPS) Makefile
 
 # Local variables:
 #   mode: makefile
diff --git a/config/makefiles/root.in b/config/makefiles/root.in
index 0274eee..8cf8bb7 100644
--- a/config/makefiles/root.in
+++ b/config/makefiles/root.in
@@ -2,47 +2,47 @@
 # $Id$
 
 ## arguments we want to run parrot with
-PARROT_ARGS   =
+PARROT_ARGS   :=
 
 ## configuration settings
-VERSION       = @versiondir@
-BIN_DIR       = @bin_dir@
-LIB_DIR       = @lib_dir@$(VERSION)
-DOC_DIR       = @doc_dir@$(VERSION)
-MANDIR        = @mandir@$(VERSION)
+VERSION       := @versiondir@
+BIN_DIR       := @bin_dir@
+LIB_DIR       := @lib_dir@$(VERSION)
+DOC_DIR       := @doc_dir@$(VERSION)
+MANDIR        := @mandir@$(VERSION)
 
 # Set up extensions
-LOAD_EXT      = @load_ext@
-O             = @o@
+LOAD_EXT      := @load_ext@
+O             := @o@
 
 # Various paths
-PMC_DIR       = src/pmc
-OPS_DIR       = src/ops
-LIBPATH       = src/runtime
+PMC_DIR       := src/pmc
+OPS_DIR       := src/ops
+LIBPATH       := src/runtime
 
 ## Setup some commands
-MAKE          = @make_c@
-PERL          = @perl@
-CAT           = @cat@
-CHMOD         = @chmod@
-CP            = @cp@
-MKPATH        = @mkpath@
-RM_F          = @rm_f@
-RM_RF         = @rm_rf@
-POD2MAN       = pod2man
+MAKE          := @make_c@
+PERL          := @perl@
+CAT           := @cat@
+CHMOD         := @chmod@
+CP            := @cp@
+MKPATH        := @mkpath@
+RM_F          := @rm_f@
+RM_RF         := @rm_rf@
+POD2MAN       := pod2man
 #IF(parrot_is_shared and not(cygwin or win32)):export LD_RUN_PATH := @blib_dir@:$(LD_RUN_PATH)
-PARROT        = ../../parrot@exe@
-PBC_TO_EXE    = ../../pbc_to_exe@exe@
+PARROT        := ../../parrot@exe@
+PBC_TO_EXE    := ../../pbc_to_exe@exe@
 #IF(darwin):
 #IF(darwin):# MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET must be defined for OS X compilation/linking
 #IF(darwin):export MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET := @osx_version@
 
-SRM=Stack
+SRM := Stack
 
-WMLSCRIPT_GROUP = $(PMC_DIR)/wmls_group$(LOAD_EXT)
-WMLSCRIPT_OPS = $(OPS_DIR)/wmls_ops$(LOAD_EXT)
+WMLSCRIPT_GROUP := $(PMC_DIR)/wmls_group$(LOAD_EXT)
+WMLSCRIPT_OPS := $(OPS_DIR)/wmls_ops$(LOAD_EXT)
 
-PMC_DEPS = \
+PMC_DEPS := \
  config/makefiles/pmc.in \
  $(PMC_DIR)/wmlsinteger.pmc \
  $(PMC_DIR)/wmlsfloat.pmc \
@@ -51,13 +51,13 @@ PMC_DEPS = \
  $(PMC_DIR)/wmlsinvalid.pmc \
  $(PMC_DIR)/wmlsbytecode.pmc
 
-OPS_DEPS = \
+OPS_DEPS := \
  config/makefiles/ops.in \
  $(OPS_DIR)/wmls.ops
 
-DOCS = README
+DOCS := README
 
-PBCS = \
+PBCS := \
  wmlsi.pbc \
  wmlsd.pbc \
  library/wmlslang.pbc \
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ PBCS = \
  library/wmlsstring.pbc \
  library/wmlsconsole.pbc
 
-GEN_PIR = \
+GEN_PIR := \
  src/opcode.pir \
  src/stdlibs.pir
 
@@ -159,12 +159,12 @@ test: all
 
 codetest: codetest-c codetest-make codetest-perl codetest-pir codetest-pod
 
-T_C     = pmc//*.pmc ops//*.ops
-T_MAKE  = config//makefiles//root.in config//makefiles//ops.in config//makefiles//pmc.in
-T_PERL  = Configure.pl t//harness t//*.t t//pmc//*.t t//Parrot//Test//*.pm \
+T_C     := src//pmc//*.pmc src//ops//*.ops
+T_MAKE  := config//makefiles//root.in config//makefiles//ops.in config//makefiles//pmc.in
+T_PERL  := Configure.pl t//harness t//*.t t//pmc//*.t t//Parrot//Test//*.pm \
           build//*.pl build//SRM//*.pm
-T_PIR   = *.pir src//*.pir runtime//*.pir
-T_POD   = doc//*.pod
+T_PIR   := *.pir src//*.pir src//runtime//*.pir
+T_POD   := doc//*.pod
 
 codetest-c:
 	- $(PERL) @build_dir@/t/codingstd/c_code_coda.t $(T_C)
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ win32-inno-installer: installable
 	cd @build_dir@ && $(PERL) tools/dev/mk_inno_language.pl wmlscript
 	cd @build_dir@ && iscc parrot-wmlscript.iss
 
-TEST_CLEANERS = \
+TEST_CLEANERS := \
  "t/pmc/*.pir" \
  "t/*.pir" \
  "t/*.pbc" \
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ TEST_CLEANERS = \
 testclean:
 	$(RM_F) $(TEST_CLEANERS)
 
-BUILD_CLEANERS = \
+BUILD_CLEANERS := \
  $(GEN_PIR) \
  "*.pbc" \
  "*.c" \
@@ -277,12 +277,12 @@ BUILD_CLEANERS = \
 clean:
 	$(MAKE) $(OPS_DIR) clean
 	$(MAKE) $(PMC_DIR) clean
-	$(RM_F) $(BUILD_CLEANERS) $(TEST_CLEANERS)
+	$(RM_F) $(TEST_CLEANERS) $(BUILD_CLEANERS)
 
-realclean: clean
+realclean:
 	$(MAKE) $(OPS_DIR) realclean
 	$(MAKE) $(PMC_DIR) realclean
-	$(RM_F) Makefile
+	$(RM_F) $(TEST_CLEANERS) $(BUILD_CLEANERS) Makefile
 
 distclean: realclean