diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1ad6f073ee..de6a867f22 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ OCAML=$(shell which ocaml)
 OCAMLRUN=$(shell which ocamlrun)
 
 # try to find the paparazzi multilib toolchain
-TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell find -L /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib ~/sat -maxdepth 1 -type d -name arm-none-eabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1 | xargs dirname )
+TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell find -L /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib ~/sat -maxdepth 1 -type d -name arm-none-eabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1 | xargs -r dirname )
 ifneq ($(TOOLCHAIN_DIR),)
 #found the compiler from the paparazzi multilib package
 ARMGCC=$(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/bin/arm-none-eabi-gcc
diff --git a/conf/Makefile.lpc21 b/conf/Makefile.lpc21
index 1a8ae8eaef..ccaf7a69f7 100644
--- a/conf/Makefile.lpc21
+++ b/conf/Makefile.lpc21
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ SRC_ARCH = arch/lpc21
 
 # Programs location
 # try to find the paparazzi multilib toolchain
-TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell find -L /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib ~/sat -maxdepth 1 -type d -name arm-none-eabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1 | xargs dirname )
+TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell find -L /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib ~/sat -maxdepth 1 -type d -name arm-none-eabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1 | xargs -r dirname )
 
 #
 # found the new paparazzi toolchain, use it
diff --git a/conf/Makefile.stm32 b/conf/Makefile.stm32
index 817d936867..466c4920d5 100644
--- a/conf/Makefile.stm32
+++ b/conf/Makefile.stm32
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ OPT   = s
 #OPT   = 0
 
 # Programs location
-TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell find -L /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib ~/sat /opt/paparazzi/stm32 -maxdepth 1 -type d -name arm-none-eabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1 | xargs dirname )
+TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell find -L /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib ~/sat /opt/paparazzi/stm32 -maxdepth 1 -type d -name arm-none-eabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1 | xargs -r dirname )
 GCC_BIN_DIR=$(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/bin
 GCC_LIB_DIR=$(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/arm-none-eabi/lib
 
diff --git a/sw/airborne/arch/lpc21/lpcusb/Makefile b/sw/airborne/arch/lpc21/lpcusb/Makefile
index 62c70f9397..3c13bc3b99 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/arch/lpc21/lpcusb/Makefile
+++ b/sw/airborne/arch/lpc21/lpcusb/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ DATE		= $$(date +%Y%m%d)
 
 # Tool definitions
 # try to find the paparazzi multilib toolchain
-TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell find -L /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib ~/sat -maxdepth 1 -type d -name arm-none-eabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1 | xargs dirname )
+TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell find -L /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib ~/sat -maxdepth 1 -type d -name arm-none-eabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1 | xargs -r dirname )
 
 #
 # found the new paparazzi toolchain, use it