diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@
 	list-old-dirs list-old-files list-old-libs \
 	obj objlink showconfig tags toolchain \
 	makeman sysent \
-	_worldtmp _legacy _bootstrap-tools _cleanobj _obj \
+	_cleanworldtmp _worldtmp _legacy _bootstrap-tools _cleanobj _obj \
 	_build-tools _build-metadata _cross-tools _includes _libraries \
 	builddtb xdev xdev-build xdev-install \
 	xdev-links native-xtools native-xtools-install stageworld stagekernel \
diff --git a/Makefile.inc1 b/Makefile.inc1
--- a/Makefile.inc1
+++ b/Makefile.inc1
@@ -1028,12 +1028,12 @@
 	    ALL_libcompats=${_ALL_libcompats:Q} \
 	    sh ${.CURDIR}/tools/build/depend-cleanup.sh ${OBJTOP}
 
-_worldtmp: .PHONY
+_cleanworldtmp: .PHONY
+.if ${MK_CLEAN} == "yes"
 	@echo
 	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
-	@echo ">>> Rebuilding the temporary build tree"
+	@echo ">>> Cleaning up the temporary build tree"
 	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
-.if ${MK_CLEAN} == "yes"
 	rm -rf ${WORLDTMP}
 .else
 # Note: for delete-old we need to set $PATH to also include the host $PATH
@@ -1059,6 +1059,11 @@
 	@rm -f ${WORLDTMP}/usr/bin/ld ${WORLDTMP}/usr/bin/ld.lld
 .endif	# ${USING_SYSTEM_LINKER} == "yes"
 .endif	# ${MK_CLEAN} == "yes"
+_worldtmp: .PHONY
+	@echo
+	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
+	@echo ">>> Rebuilding the temporary build tree"
+	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
 	@mkdir -p ${WORLDTMP}
 	@touch ${WORLDTMP}/${.TARGET}
 # We can't use mtree to create the worldtmp directories since it may not be
@@ -1174,7 +1179,7 @@
 
 WMAKE_TGTS=
 .if !defined(WORLDFAST)
-WMAKE_TGTS+=	_sanity_check _worldtmp _legacy
+WMAKE_TGTS+=	_sanity_check _cleanworldtmp _worldtmp _legacy
 .if empty(SUBDIR_OVERRIDE)
 WMAKE_TGTS+=	_bootstrap-tools
 .endif
@@ -1690,7 +1695,8 @@
 .endfor
 .endif
 
-${WMAKE_TGTS:N_worldtmp:${libcompats:@v@Nbuild${v}@:ts:}} ${.ALLTARGETS:M_*:N_worldtmp}: .MAKE .PHONY
+${WMAKE_TGTS:N_cleanworldtmp:N_worldtmp:${libcompats:@v@Nbuild${v}@:ts:}}: .MAKE .PHONY
+${.ALLTARGETS:M_*:N_cleanworldtmp:N_worldtmp}: .MAKE .PHONY
 
 # record kernel(s) build time in seconds
 .if make(buildkernel)