diff --git a/common.mak b/common.mak
index c4d5f2be0c..e42dd3920e 100644
--- a/common.mak
+++ b/common.mak
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ install: install-libs install-headers
 uninstall: uninstall-libs uninstall-headers
 
 .PHONY: all depend dep *clean install* uninstall* examples testprogs
+
+# Disable suffix rules.  Most of the builtin rules are suffix rules,
+# so this saves some time on slow systems.
+.SUFFIXES:
 endif
 
 OBJS-$(HAVE_MMX) +=  $(MMX-OBJS-yes)