diff --git a/bin/tests/Makefile.in b/bin/tests/Makefile.in
index c748ac1cb7..acdf90804f 100644
--- a/bin/tests/Makefile.in
+++ b/bin/tests/Makefile.in
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ clean distclean::
 	rm -f t_journal
 
 test:
-	for $dir in $(SUBDIRS) ;\
+	for $(dir) in $(SUBDIRS) ;\
 	do \
 		(cd $$(dir); $(MAKE) test) ;\
 	done