diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 48ab1943eb52fccc48c62219dd88a7718a0d983c..e61c47eb7953eda3e894e0a019b040f40bd0056b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -130,7 +130,6 @@ _darcs/
 /libraries/plus.gif
 /libraries/synopsis.png
 /libraries/stamp/
-/mk/are-validating.mk
 /mk/build.mk
 /mk/config.h
 /mk/config.h.in
diff --git a/ghc.mk b/ghc.mk
index 966021580a3ba1783b5c310879dec851c2fa0e2e..6a294ac4b3219efb0a342f74cc8c4f54ecd6e876 100644
--- a/ghc.mk
+++ b/ghc.mk
@@ -1324,9 +1324,6 @@ clean_bindistprep:
 	$(call removeTrees,bindistprep/)
 
 distclean : clean
-# Clean the files that ./validate creates.
-	$(call removeFiles,mk/are-validating.mk)
-
 # Clean the files that we ask ./configure to create.
 	$(call removeFiles,mk/config.mk)
 	$(call removeFiles,mk/install.mk)
diff --git a/mk/custom-settings.mk b/mk/custom-settings.mk
index 2b4b1271023b53608673e402b4bb17550c7ba6d8..5f9814b252050503d4d579a8f178348b0683933a 100644
--- a/mk/custom-settings.mk
+++ b/mk/custom-settings.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-
--include mk/are-validating.mk
-
 ifeq "$(Validating)" "YES"
 include mk/flavours/validate.mk
 -include mk/validate.mk
diff --git a/validate b/validate
index 4c123fe84462a88ee3ae3fa13851bb79ff444d5b..827815fa2068b5580179587efd62b4a7272aa51a 100755
--- a/validate
+++ b/validate
@@ -174,9 +174,7 @@ fi
 
 thisdir=`utils/ghc-pwd/dist-boot/ghc-pwd`
 
-echo "Validating=YES"       >  mk/are-validating.mk
-echo "ValidateSpeed=$speed" >> mk/are-validating.mk
-echo "ValidateHpc=$hpc"     >> mk/are-validating.mk
+make_settings="Validating=YES ValidateSpeed=$speed ValidateHpc=$hpc"
 
 # Note [Default build system verbosity].
 #
@@ -190,16 +188,14 @@ echo "ValidateHpc=$hpc"     >> mk/are-validating.mk
 # `make -s`, when user explicitly asks for it with `./validate --quiet`.
 if [ $be_quiet -eq 1 ]; then
     # See Note [Default build system verbosity].
-    echo "V=0"                  >> mk/are-validating.mk # Less gunk
+    make_settings="$make_settings V=0"
 fi
 
 if [ $use_dph -eq 1 ]; then
-    echo "BUILD_DPH=YES"    >> mk/are-validating.mk
-else
-    echo "BUILD_DPH=NO"     >> mk/are-validating.mk
+    make_settings="$make_settings BUILD_DPH=YES"
 fi
 
-$make -j$threads
+$make -j$threads $make_settings
 # For a "debug make", add "--debug=b --debug=m"
 
 check_packages post-build
@@ -209,8 +205,8 @@ check_packages post-build
 
 if [ $speed != "FAST" ]; then
 
-    $make binary-dist-prep
-    $make test_bindist TEST_PREP=YES
+    $make binary-dist-prep $make_settings
+    $make test_bindist TEST_PREP=YES $make_settings
 
     #
     # Install the xhtml package into the bindist.
@@ -221,7 +217,7 @@ if [ $speed != "FAST" ]; then
 
     check_packages post-install
 
-    $make validate_build_xhtml BINDIST_PREFIX="$thisdir/$bindistdir"
+    $make validate_build_xhtml BINDIST_PREFIX="$thisdir/$bindistdir" $make_settings
 
     check_packages post-xhtml
 fi