diff --git a/build/core/utils.mk b/build/core/utils.mk
index 23bd4c9b..4b29233a 100644
--- a/build/core/utils.mk
+++ b/build/core/utils.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # vars for use by utils
-empty :=
-space := $(empty) $(empty)
+# the following are already defined in build/make:
+# empty space comma newline pound backslash
 colon := $(empty):$(empty)
 underscore := $(empty)_$(empty)