diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5078e6bb3f..0f377627e8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 HAVE_FILE_LOGGER=1
 MISSING_DECLS   =0
 
+ifneq ($(C90_BUILD),)
+   C89_BUILD=1
+endif
+
 include config.mk
 
 TARGET = retroarch
@@ -77,8 +81,7 @@ else
       endif
    endif
 
-   ifneq ($(C89_BUILD)$(C90_BUILD),)
-   #looks kinda ugly, but it makes both C89_BUILD and C90_BUILD work and refer to the same thing
+   ifneq ($(C89_BUILD),)
       CFLAGS += -std=c89 -ansi -pedantic -Werror=pedantic
    endif
 endif
diff --git a/Makefile.common b/Makefile.common
index b209a35f24..1e113f8f86 100644
--- a/Makefile.common
+++ b/Makefile.common
@@ -217,14 +217,12 @@ OBJ += frontend/frontend.o \
 OBJ += gfx/image/image.o
 
 ifneq ($(C89_BUILD), 1)
-ifneq ($(C90_BUILD), 1)
 # stb_image is not a C89/C90-compliant API.
 ifeq ($(HAVE_IMAGEVIEWER), 1)
 DEFINES += -DHAVE_IMAGEVIEWER
 OBJ += cores/image_core.o
 endif
 endif
-endif
 
 # Qt
 
@@ -254,7 +252,6 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_STDIN_CMD), 1)
 endif
 
 ifneq ($(C89_BUILD), 1)
-ifneq ($(C90_BUILD), 1)
 # Python 3.x bindings are not C89/C90-compliant.
 ifeq ($(HAVE_PYTHON), 1)
    DEFINES += $(PYTHON_CFLAGS) -Wno-unused-parameter
@@ -262,7 +259,6 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_PYTHON), 1)
    OBJ += gfx/video_state_python.o
 endif
 endif
-endif
 
 ifeq ($(HAVE_EMSCRIPTEN), 1)
 OBJ += frontend/drivers/platform_emscripten.o \
@@ -323,7 +319,6 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_JACK),1)
 endif
 
 ifneq ($(C89_BUILD), 1)
-ifneq ($(C90_BUILD), 1)
 # PulseAudio is not a C89/C90-compliant API.
 ifeq ($(HAVE_PULSE), 1)
    OBJ += audio/drivers/pulse.o
@@ -331,7 +326,6 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_PULSE), 1)
    DEFINES += $(PULSE_CFLAGS)
 endif
 endif
-endif
 
 ifeq ($(HAVE_OSS_LIB), 1)
    LIBS += -lossaudio
@@ -482,7 +476,6 @@ endif
 #Input
 
 ifneq ($(C89_BUILD), 1)
-ifneq ($(C90_BUILD), 1)
 # Wayland is not a C89/C90-compliant API.
 ifeq ($(HAVE_WAYLAND), 1)
  #OBJ += input/drivers/wayland.o
@@ -490,7 +483,6 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_WAYLAND), 1)
  LIBS += $(WAYLAND_LIBS)
 endif
 endif
-endif
 
 ifeq ($(HAVE_DINPUT), 1)
    LIBS += -ldinput8 -ldxguid -lole32
@@ -529,7 +521,6 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_UDEV), 1)
 endif
 
 ifneq ($(C89_BUILD), 1)
-ifneq ($(C90_BUILD), 1)
 # libusb is not a C89/C90-compliant API.
 ifeq ($(HAVE_LIBUSB), 1)
 	DEFINES += -DHAVE_LIBUSB
@@ -539,7 +530,6 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_LIBUSB), 1)
 	HAVE_HID = 1
 endif
 endif
-endif
 
 ifeq ($(HAVE_IOHIDMANAGER), 1)
 	DEFINES += -DHAVE_IOHIDMANAGER
@@ -620,14 +610,12 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_GL_CONTEXT), 1)
    endif
 
 ifneq ($(C89_BUILD), 1)
-ifneq ($(C90_BUILD), 1)
 	# Wayland is not a C89/C90-compliant API.
    ifeq ($(HAVE_WAYLAND), 1)
 	   ifeq ($(HAVE_EGL), 1)
 	     OBJ += gfx/drivers_context/wayland_ctx.o
       endif
    endif
-endif
 endif
 	
    ifeq ($(HAVE_GLES), 1)
@@ -884,7 +872,6 @@ endif
 # Record
 
 ifneq ($(C89_BUILD), 1)
-ifneq ($(C90_BUILD), 1)
 # ffmpeg and friends are not C89/C90-compliant APIs. 
 ifeq ($(HAVE_FFMPEG), 1)
    OBJ += record/drivers/record_ffmpeg.o \
@@ -894,7 +881,6 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_FFMPEG), 1)
 	DEFINES += -DHAVE_FFMPEG -Iffmpeg
 endif
 endif
-endif
 
 ifeq ($(HAVE_COMPRESSION), 1)
    DEFINES += -DHAVE_COMPRESSION