diff --git a/test/zdtm/Makefile.inc b/test/zdtm/Makefile.inc
index 12fa86e08..170f31632 100644
--- a/test/zdtm/Makefile.inc
+++ b/test/zdtm/Makefile.inc
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ dep: $(DEP)
 
 no-deps-targets	:= clean cleandep cleanout realclean groups.cleanout
 
+ifeq ($(strip $(DEP)),)
+$(error No DEP defined in sub-make)
+endif
 ifeq ($(filter $(no-deps-targets), $(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
 -include $(wildcard $(DEP))
 endif
diff --git a/test/zdtm/static/Makefile b/test/zdtm/static/Makefile
index 4f2e97c26..fa8a9a237 100644
--- a/test/zdtm/static/Makefile
+++ b/test/zdtm/static/Makefile
@@ -205,8 +205,6 @@ TST_NOFILE	:=				\
 		unlink_multiple_largefiles	\
 #		jobctl00			\
 
-include ../Makefile.inc
-
 ifneq ($(SRCARCH),arm)
 ifneq ($(COMPAT_TEST),y)
         TST_NOFILE += maps03
@@ -365,6 +363,8 @@ OUT	= $(TST:%=%.out)
 STATE	= $(TST_STATE:%=%.state)
 STATE_OUT	= $(TST_STATE:%=%.out)
 
+include ../Makefile.inc
+
 all:	$(TST) criu-rtc.so
 install: all
 .PHONY: all install