diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
index a45b4f01013..f2220892eda 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
@@ -237,6 +237,10 @@ if test "$NIX_DEBUG" = "1"; then
 fi
 
 
+# Make GNU Make produce nested output.
+export NIX_INDENT_MAKE=1
+
+
 ######################################################################
 # Misc. helper functions.