diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3cbe34243d..f2b461cf8c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3586,11 +3586,14 @@ endif
 ifeq (${DEBBUILD},1)
 DEBUSESVN=1
 endif
+ifeq (${DEBBUILD},)
+DEBUSESVN=1
+endif
 ifdef SNAPSHOT
 DEBUSESVN=1
 endif
 ifndef DEBUSESVN
-$(error Need "${DEBSRC_ORIG}.tar.gz" to build for DEBBUILD = ${DEBBUILD}> 1)
+$(error Need "${DEBSRC_ORIG}.tar.gz" to build for DEBBUILD = "${DEBBUILD}" > 1)
 endif
 endif
 ifndef SIGN
diff --git a/Makefile.fpc b/Makefile.fpc
index ae78ef35a6..5c7751fbcd 100644
--- a/Makefile.fpc
+++ b/Makefile.fpc
@@ -188,11 +188,14 @@ endif
 ifeq (${DEBBUILD},1)
 DEBUSESVN=1
 endif
+ifeq (${DEBBUILD},)
+DEBUSESVN=1
+endif
 ifdef SNAPSHOT
 DEBUSESVN=1
 endif
 ifndef DEBUSESVN
-$(error Need "${DEBSRC_ORIG}.tar.gz" to build for DEBBUILD = ${DEBBUILD}> 1)
+$(error Need "${DEBSRC_ORIG}.tar.gz" to build for DEBBUILD = "${DEBBUILD}" > 1)
 endif
 endif
 ifndef SIGN