diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6883e51cf..27923aa9b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -329,3 +329,8 @@ endif
 	@rm -f *.grd Makefile.conf_last config_last.h
 	@(cd $(NETLIB_LAPACK_DIR)/TESTING && rm -f x* *.out testing_results.txt)
 	@echo Done.
+
+# Makefile debugging trick:
+# call print-VARIABLE to see the runtime value of any variable
+print-%:
+	@echo '$*=$($*)'
diff --git a/Makefile.system b/Makefile.system
index 207c9961a..8d114f4ff 100644
--- a/Makefile.system
+++ b/Makefile.system
@@ -453,8 +453,9 @@ DYNAMIC_CORE += HASWELL ZEN
 endif
 endif
 
+# If DYNAMIC_CORE is not set, DYNAMIC_ARCH cannot do anything, so force it to empty
 ifndef DYNAMIC_CORE
-DYNAMIC_ARCH =
+override DYNAMIC_ARCH=
 endif
 endif