diff --git a/common/build-style/python3-module.sh b/common/build-style/python3-module.sh
index 8daf40e6921..6ec5225d6aa 100644
--- a/common/build-style/python3-module.sh
+++ b/common/build-style/python3-module.sh
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ do_build() {
 
 do_check() {
 	if python3 -c 'import pytest' >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-		${make_check_pre} PYTHONPATH="$(cd build/lib* && pwd)" \
+		PYTHONPATH="$(cd build/lib* && pwd)" \
+			${make_check_pre} \
 			python3 -m pytest ${make_check_args} ${make_check_target}
 	else
 		# Fall back to deprecated setup.py test orchestration without pytest
diff --git a/common/build-style/raku-dist.sh b/common/build-style/raku-dist.sh
index bbbba96e714..67350161b93 100644
--- a/common/build-style/raku-dist.sh
+++ b/common/build-style/raku-dist.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 #
 
 do_check() {
-	${make_check_pre} RAKULIB=lib prove -r -e raku t/
+	RAKULIB=lib ${make_check_pre} prove -r -e raku t/
 }
 
 do_install() {