diff --git a/examples/esb/Makefile b/examples/esb/Makefile
index 5bc3d8e12..4da37e3c6 100644
--- a/examples/esb/Makefile
+++ b/examples/esb/Makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
+CONTIKI_PROJECT = blinker
+all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
+
+DEFAULT_TARGET = esb
+
 CONTIKI = ../..
-ifndef TARGET
-TARGET=esb
-endif
-
-all: blinker
-
 include $(CONTIKI)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/hello-world/Makefile b/examples/hello-world/Makefile
index 8a3aa723d..0a79167ae 100644
--- a/examples/hello-world/Makefile
+++ b/examples/hello-world/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-CONTIKI = ../..
-all: hello-world
+CONTIKI_PROJECT = hello-world
+all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
 
+CONTIKI = ../..
 include $(CONTIKI)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/multi-threading/Makefile b/examples/multi-threading/Makefile
index e645bc725..c6371bafa 100644
--- a/examples/multi-threading/Makefile
+++ b/examples/multi-threading/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-CONTIKI = ../..
-all: multi-threading
+CONTIKI_PROJECT = multi-threading
+all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
 
+CONTIKI = ../..
 include $(CONTIKI)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/sky-ip/Makefile b/examples/sky-ip/Makefile
index 3ed7a69e7..b9c26c6d8 100644
--- a/examples/sky-ip/Makefile
+++ b/examples/sky-ip/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
-all: telnet-webserver
-APPS=telnetd webserver
-DEFAULT_TARGET=sky
-CFLAGS=-DWITH_UIP=1 #-DWITH_NULLMAC=1
+CONTIKI_PROJECT = telnet-webserver
+all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
+
+APPS = telnetd webserver
+DEFAULT_TARGET = sky
+
+CFLAGS = -DWITH_UIP=1 #-DWITH_NULLMAC=1
 
 # The webserver application normally contains a built-in file system and support
 # for server-side includes.
diff --git a/examples/sky-shell/Makefile b/examples/sky-shell/Makefile
index aeedfc46b..69a5a7334 100644
--- a/examples/sky-shell/Makefile
+++ b/examples/sky-shell/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
+CONTIKI_PROJECT = sky-shell
+all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
+
+APPS = shell
+DEFAULT_TARGET = sky
+
 CONTIKI = ../..
-APPS=shell
-DEFAULT_TARGET=sky
-all: sky-shell
 
 ifdef MOTE
 login:
diff --git a/examples/telnet-server/Makefile b/examples/telnet-server/Makefile
index 669561077..e369dd60a 100644
--- a/examples/telnet-server/Makefile
+++ b/examples/telnet-server/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-all: telnet-server
-APPS=telnetd program-handler
-DEFAULT_TARGET=minimal-net
+CONTIKI_PROJECT = telnet-server
+all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
+
+APPS = telnetd program-handler
+DEFAULT_TARGET = minimal-net
 
 CONTIKI = ../..
 include $(CONTIKI)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/test-ipv6/Makefile b/examples/test-ipv6/Makefile
index d3eb1dea6..95dffd5e4 100644
--- a/examples/test-ipv6/Makefile
+++ b/examples/test-ipv6/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
-all: testv6
-APPS=webserver
-DEFAULT_TARGET=minimal-net
-CFLAGS=-DUIP_CONF_IPV6
+CONTIKI_PROJECT = testv6
+all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
+
+APPS = webserver
+DEFAULT_TARGET = minimal-net
+CFLAGS = -DUIP_CONF_IPV6
 
 CONTIKI = ../..
 include $(CONTIKI)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/webbrowser/Makefile b/examples/webbrowser/Makefile
index 6bfc33189..02002d728 100644
--- a/examples/webbrowser/Makefile
+++ b/examples/webbrowser/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-all: webbrowser
-APPS=webbrowser
-DEFAULT_TARGET=win32
+CONTIKI_PROJECT = webbrowser
+all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
+
+APPS = webbrowser
+DEFAULT_TARGET = win32
 
 CONTIKI = ../..
 include $(CONTIKI)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/webserver/Makefile b/examples/webserver/Makefile
index b54952784..8b95d9104 100644
--- a/examples/webserver/Makefile
+++ b/examples/webserver/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-all: webserver-example
-APPS=webserver
-DEFAULT_TARGET=minimal-net
+CONTIKI_PROJECT = webserver-example
+all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
+
+APPS = webserver
+DEFAULT_TARGET = minimal-net
 
 # The webserver application normally contains a built-in file system and support
 # for server-side includes.