diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 565748e2..168b4620 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -83,9 +83,11 @@ check : test
 
 test-compile: mosquitto lib
 	$(MAKE) -C test test-compile
+	$(MAKE) -C plugins test-compile
 
 test : mosquitto lib apps
 	$(MAKE) -C test test
+	$(MAKE) -C plugins test
 
 ptest : mosquitto
 	$(MAKE) -C test ptest
diff --git a/plugins/Makefile b/plugins/Makefile
index 9cf8b229..47b06afa 100644
--- a/plugins/Makefile
+++ b/plugins/Makefile
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ DIRS= \
 		examples \
 		persist-sqlite
 
-.PHONY : all binary check clean reallyclean test install uninstall
+.PHONY : all binary check clean reallyclean test test-compile install uninstall
 
 all :
 	set -e; for d in ${DIRS}; do $(MAKE) -C $${d}; done
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ clean :
 reallyclean :
 	set -e; for d in ${DIRS}; do $(MAKE) -C $${d} $@; done
 
+test-compile :
+	set -e; for d in ${DIRS}; do $(MAKE) -C $${d} $@; done
+
 check : test
 test :
 	set -e; for d in ${DIRS}; do $(MAKE) -C $${d} $@; done
diff --git a/plugins/dynamic-security/Makefile b/plugins/dynamic-security/Makefile
index 84116fac..208a19fd 100644
--- a/plugins/dynamic-security/Makefile
+++ b/plugins/dynamic-security/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 R=../..
 include ${R}/config.mk
 
-.PHONY : all binary check clean reallyclean test install uninstall
+.PHONY : all binary check clean reallyclean test test-compile install uninstall
 
 PLUGIN_NAME=mosquitto_dynamic_security
 LOCAL_CPPFLAGS=-I${R}/lib/ -I${R}/src/ -I${R}/plugins/common -DWITH_CJSON -DWITH_TLS
@@ -115,8 +115,10 @@ reallyclean : clean
 clean:
 	-rm -f *.o ${PLUGIN_NAME}.so *.gcda *.gcno
 
+test-compile:
+
 check: test
-test:
+test: test-compile
 
 install: all
 ifeq ($(WITH_CJSON),yes)
diff --git a/plugins/examples/Makefile b/plugins/examples/Makefile
index 28932f5b..8882b7e7 100644
--- a/plugins/examples/Makefile
+++ b/plugins/examples/Makefile
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ DIRS= \
 		topic-modification \
 		wildcard-temp
 
-.PHONY : all binary check clean reallyclean test install uninstall
+.PHONY : all binary check clean reallyclean test test-compile install uninstall
 
 all :
 	set -e; for d in ${DIRS}; do $(MAKE) -C $${d}; done
@@ -30,8 +30,10 @@ clean :
 reallyclean :
 	set -e; for d in ${DIRS}; do $(MAKE) -C $${d} $@; done
 
+test-compile:
+
 check : test
-test :
+test: test-compile 
 	set -e; for d in ${DIRS}; do $(MAKE) -C $${d} $@; done
 
 install :
diff --git a/plugins/persist-sqlite/Makefile b/plugins/persist-sqlite/Makefile
index 8823c5ed..ecc8e8b7 100644
--- a/plugins/persist-sqlite/Makefile
+++ b/plugins/persist-sqlite/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 R=../..
 include ${R}/config.mk
 
-.PHONY : all binary check clean reallyclean test install uninstall
+.PHONY : all binary check clean reallyclean test test-compile install uninstall
 
 PLUGIN_NAME=mosquitto_persist_sqlite
 LOCAL_CPPFLAGS=-I${R}/src/
@@ -60,8 +60,10 @@ reallyclean : clean
 clean:
 	-rm -f *.o ${PLUGIN_NAME}.so *.gcda *.gcno
 
-check: test
-test:
+test-compile:
+
+check : test
+test: test-compile
 
 install: all
 ifeq ($(WITH_SQLITE),yes)
diff --git a/test/Makefile b/test/Makefile
index 32fdaced..d7b66482 100644
--- a/test/Makefile
+++ b/test/Makefile
@@ -10,20 +10,21 @@ test-compile:
 	$(MAKE) -C client test-compile
 	$(MAKE) -C lib test-compile
 	$(MAKE) -C unit test-compile
+	$(MAKE) -C apps test-compile
 
 check : test
 
 test : utest
-	$(MAKE) -C apps test
 	$(MAKE) -C broker test
 	$(MAKE) -C lib test
 	$(MAKE) -C client test
+	$(MAKE) -C apps test
 
 ptest : utest
-	$(MAKE) -C apps ptest
 	$(MAKE) -C broker ptest
 	$(MAKE) -C lib ptest
 	$(MAKE) -C client ptest
+	$(MAKE) -C apps ptest
 
 utest :
 	$(MAKE) -C unit test
@@ -32,5 +33,6 @@ reallyclean : clean
 clean :
 	$(MAKE) -C lib clean
 	$(MAKE) -C broker clean
+	$(MAKE) -C client clean
 	$(MAKE) -C unit clean
 	$(MAKE) -C apps clean
diff --git a/test/apps/Makefile b/test/apps/Makefile
index 57cb859b..4e8d6bf8 100644
--- a/test/apps/Makefile
+++ b/test/apps/Makefile
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ all :
 
 check : test
 
+test-compile:
+
 test :
 	$(MAKE) -C db_dump test
 	$(MAKE) -C ctrl test