diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c799c0ba2..3f9b71db7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@ help:
 	@echo "Nothing to see here, go away"
 
 .PHONY: backend-%
-backend-%: --stack-work-$* --backend-$* --stack-krow-$*
+backend-%: .develop.env --stack-work-$*
+	( $(MAKE) --backend-$* || $(MAKE) --stack-krow-$* ) && ( $(MAKE) --stack-krow-$* )
 
 .PHONY: database
 database: .develop.env --stack-work-build
-	($(MAKE) -- --database || $(MAKE) -- --stack-krow-build) || ($(MAKE) -- --stack-krow-build)
+	( $(MAKE) -- --database || $(MAKE) -- --stack-krow-build ) && ( $(MAKE) -- --stack-krow-build )
 
 .PHONY: --database
 --database: .develop.env
@@ -47,9 +48,9 @@ clean:
 
 .PHONY: --stack-krow-%
 --stack-krow-%:
-	[[ -d .stack-work-$* ]] && (echo ".stack-work-$* already exists, please resolve manually" 1>&2 ; exit 1)
+	[[ ! -d .stack-work-$* ]] || ( echo ".stack-work-$* already exists, please resolve manually" 1>&2 ; exit 1 )
 	mv .stack-work .stack-work-$*
-	flock -u .stack-work.lock
+	flock -u .stack-work.lock true
 
 # TODO: yarn2nix target