MAKEVER:=$(shell make --version | ruby -n0e 'puts $$_[/Make (\d)/,1]') ifeq ($(MAKEVER),4) # A variable name with space is invalid on GNU make 4. all: echo PASS else varname_with_ws:=hello, world! $(varname_with_ws):=PASS foo bar = PASS2 all: echo $(hello, world!) echo $(foo bar) endif