diff --git a/Make.inc b/Make.inc
index b3a042d1199313..bb15ddb8c4ad52 100644
--- a/Make.inc
+++ b/Make.inc
@@ -1340,11 +1340,9 @@ endif
 exec = $(shell $(call spawn,$(1)))
 
 JULIA_BUILD_MODE := release
-JULIA_LIBSUFFIX:=
 ifeq (,$(findstring release,$(MAKECMDGOALS)))
 ifneq (,$(findstring debug,$(MAKECMDGOALS)))
 JULIA_BUILD_MODE := debug
-JULIA_LIBSUFFIX:=-debug
 endif
 endif
 
@@ -1352,6 +1350,10 @@ JULIA_EXECUTABLE_debug := $(build_bindir)/julia-debug$(EXE)
 JULIA_EXECUTABLE_release := $(build_bindir)/julia$(EXE)
 JULIA_EXECUTABLE := $(JULIA_EXECUTABLE_$(JULIA_BUILD_MODE))
 
+JULIA_SYSIMG_debug := $(build_private_libdir)/sys-debug.$(SHLIB_EXT)
+JULIA_SYSIMG_release := $(build_private_libdir)/sys.$(SHLIB_EXT)
+JULIA_SYSIMG := $(JULIA_SYSIMG_$(JULIA_BUILD_MODE))
+
 # Colors for make
 ifndef VERBOSE
 VERBOSE := 0
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 34897e36faaa84..efbd47b06c28a8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -571,8 +571,6 @@ distcleanall: cleanall
 test: check-whitespace $(JULIA_BUILD_MODE)
 	@$(MAKE) $(QUIET_MAKE) -C $(BUILDROOT)/test default JULIA_BUILD_MODE=$(JULIA_BUILD_MODE)
 
-JULIA_SYSIMG=$(build_private_libdir)/sys$(JULIA_LIBSUFFIX).$(SHLIB_EXT)
-
 testall: check-whitespace $(JULIA_BUILD_MODE)
 	cp $(JULIA_SYSIMG) $(BUILDROOT)/local.$(SHLIB_EXT)
 	$(call spawn,$(JULIA_EXECUTABLE) -J $(call cygpath_w,$(BUILDROOT)/local.$(SHLIB_EXT)) -e 'true')