diff --git a/builds/ansi/ansi.mk b/builds/ansi/ansi.mk
index d326f839e..6ecc6fbbd 100644
--- a/builds/ansi/ansi.mk
+++ b/builds/ansi/ansi.mk
@@ -23,17 +23,19 @@ HOSTSEP  := $(SEP)
 BUILD    := $(TOP)/builds/ansi
 PLATFORM := ansi
 
+
 # The directory where all object files are placed.
 #
-# Note that this is not $(TOP)/obj!
 # This lets you build the library in your own directory with something like
 #
 #   set TOP=.../path/to/freetype2/top/dir...
-#   mkdir obj
+#   set OBJ_DIR=.../path/to/obj/dir
 #   make -f $TOP/Makefile setup [options]
 #   make -f $TOP/Makefile
 #
-OBJ_DIR := obj
+ifndef OBJ_DIR
+  OBJ_DIR := $(TOP)$(SEP)obj
+endif
 
 
 # The directory where all library files are placed.
diff --git a/builds/dos/dos-gcc.mk b/builds/dos/dos-gcc.mk
index b9f55a21b..b748e7cb4 100644
--- a/builds/dos/dos-gcc.mk
+++ b/builds/dos/dos-gcc.mk
@@ -23,17 +23,19 @@ HOSTSEP  := $(strip \ )
 BUILD    := $(TOP)/builds/dos
 PLATFORM := dos
 
+
 # The directory where all object files are placed.
 #
-# Note that this is not $(TOP)/obj!
 # This lets you build the library in your own directory with something like
 #
 #   set TOP=.../path/to/freetype2/top/dir...
-#   mkdir obj
+#   set OBJ_DIR=.../path/to/obj/dir
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile setup [options]
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile
 #
-OBJ_DIR := obj
+ifndef OBJ_DIR
+  OBJ_DIR := $(TOP)$(SEP)obj
+endif
 
 
 # The directory where all library files are placed.
diff --git a/builds/os2/os2-dev.mk b/builds/os2/os2-dev.mk
index 93939d200..5d78053a3 100644
--- a/builds/os2/os2-dev.mk
+++ b/builds/os2/os2-dev.mk
@@ -26,17 +26,19 @@ BUILD    := $(TOP)/builds/os2
 PLATFORM := os2
 CC       := gcc
 
+
 # The directory where all object files are placed.
 #
-# Note that this is not $(TOP)/obj!
 # This lets you build the library in your own directory with something like
 #
 #   set TOP=.../path/to/freetype2/top/dir...
-#   mkdir obj
+#   set OBJ_DIR=.../path/to/obj/dir
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile setup [options]
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile
 #
-OBJ_DIR := obj
+ifndef OBJ_DIR
+  OBJ_DIR := $(TOP)$(SEP)obj
+endif
 
 
 # The directory where all library files are placed.
diff --git a/builds/os2/os2-gcc.mk b/builds/os2/os2-gcc.mk
index 14992e64a..9694aee27 100644
--- a/builds/os2/os2-gcc.mk
+++ b/builds/os2/os2-gcc.mk
@@ -24,17 +24,19 @@ BUILD    := $(TOP)/builds/os2
 PLATFORM := os2
 CC       := gcc
 
+
 # The directory where all object files are placed.
 #
-# Note that this is not $(TOP)/obj!
 # This lets you build the library in your own directory with something like
 #
 #   set TOP=.../path/to/freetype2/top/dir...
-#   mkdir obj
-#   make -f %TOP%/Makefile setup [options]
-#   make -f %TOP%/Makefile
+#   set OBJ_DIR=.../path/to/obj/dir
+#   make -f %TOP%Makefile setup [options]
+#   make -f %TOP%Makefile
 #
-OBJ_DIR := obj
+ifndef OBJ_DIR
+  OBJ_DIR := $(TOP)$(SEP)obj
+endif
 
 
 # The directory where all library files are placed.
diff --git a/builds/win32/w32-dev.mk b/builds/win32/w32-dev.mk
index 8eea55af7..278a600f9 100644
--- a/builds/win32/w32-dev.mk
+++ b/builds/win32/w32-dev.mk
@@ -29,17 +29,19 @@ BUILD    := $(TOP)/builds/win32
 PLATFORM := win32
 CC       := gcc
 
+
 # The directory where all object files are placed.
 #
-# Note that this is not $(TOP)/obj!
 # This lets you build the library in your own directory with something like
 #
 #   set TOP=.../path/to/freetype2/top/dir...
-#   mkdir obj
+#   set OBJ_DIR=.../path/to/obj/dir
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile setup [options]
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile
 #
-OBJ_DIR := obj
+ifndef OBJ_DIR
+  OBJ_DIR := $(TOP)$(SEP)obj
+endif
 
 
 # The directory where all library files are placed.
diff --git a/builds/win32/w32-gcc.mk b/builds/win32/w32-gcc.mk
index 3501a7967..af814d5d1 100644
--- a/builds/win32/w32-gcc.mk
+++ b/builds/win32/w32-gcc.mk
@@ -27,17 +27,19 @@ BUILD    := $(TOP)/builds/win32
 PLATFORM := win32
 CC       := gcc
 
+
 # The directory where all object files are placed.
 #
-# Note that this is not $(TOP)/obj!
 # This lets you build the library in your own directory with something like
 #
 #   set TOP=.../path/to/freetype2/top/dir...
-#   mkdir obj
+#   set OBJ_DIR=.../path/to/obj/dir
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile setup [options]
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile
 #
-OBJ_DIR := obj
+ifndef OBJ_DIR
+  OBJ_DIR := $(TOP)$(SEP)obj
+endif
 
 
 # The directory where all library files are placed.
diff --git a/builds/win32/w32-icc.mk b/builds/win32/w32-icc.mk
index 504579e61..4a3ea6f47 100644
--- a/builds/win32/w32-icc.mk
+++ b/builds/win32/w32-icc.mk
@@ -20,17 +20,19 @@ BUILD    := $(TOP)$(SEP)config$(SEP)win32
 PLATFORM := win32
 CC       := icc
 
+
 # The directory where all object files are placed.
 #
-# Note that this is not $(TOP)/obj!
 # This lets you build the library in your own directory with something like
 #
 #   set TOP=.../path/to/freetype2/top/dir...
-#   mkdir obj
+#   set OBJ_DIR=.../path/to/obj/dir
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile setup [options]
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile
 #
-OBJ_DIR := obj
+ifndef OBJ_DIR
+  OBJ_DIR := $(TOP)$(SEP)obj
+endif
 
 
 # The directory where all library files are placed.
diff --git a/builds/win32/w32-lcc.mk b/builds/win32/w32-lcc.mk
index 476de14a3..c835c1ba4 100644
--- a/builds/win32/w32-lcc.mk
+++ b/builds/win32/w32-lcc.mk
@@ -24,17 +24,19 @@ BUILD    := $(TOP)/builds/win32
 PLATFORM := win32
 CC       := lcc
 
+
 # The directory where all object files are placed.
 #
-# Note that this is not $(TOP)/obj!
 # This lets you build the library in your own directory with something like
 #
 #   set TOP=.../path/to/freetype2/top/dir...
-#   mkdir obj
+#   set OBJ_DIR=.../path/to/obj/dir
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile setup [options]
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile
 #
-OBJ_DIR := obj
+ifndef OBJ_DIR
+  OBJ_DIR := $(TOP)$(SEP)obj
+endif
 
 
 # The directory where all library files are placed.
diff --git a/builds/win32/w32-vcc.mk b/builds/win32/w32-vcc.mk
index 955f44a82..f1f2d3fae 100644
--- a/builds/win32/w32-vcc.mk
+++ b/builds/win32/w32-vcc.mk
@@ -24,17 +24,19 @@ BUILD    := $(TOP)/builds/win32
 PLATFORM := win32
 CC       := cl
 
+
 # The directory where all object files are placed.
 #
-# Note that this is not $(TOP)/obj!
 # This lets you build the library in your own directory with something like
 #
 #   set TOP=.../path/to/freetype2/top/dir...
-#   mkdir obj
+#   set OBJ_DIR=.../path/to/obj/dir
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile setup [options]
 #   make -f %TOP%/Makefile
 #
-OBJ_DIR := obj
+ifndef OBJ_DIR
+  OBJ_DIR := $(TOP)$(SEP)obj
+endif
 
 
 # The directory where all library files are placed.