--- a/config/config.mk
+++ b/config/config.mk
@@ -446,19 +446,23 @@ NSINSTALL = $(DEPTH)/config/nsinstall$(H
 endif # WINNT
 
 
 ifeq (,$(CROSS_COMPILE)$(filter-out WINNT, $(OS_ARCH)))
 INSTALL = $(NSINSTALL) -t
 
 else
 
-# This isn't laid out as conditional directives so that NSDISTMODE can be
-# target-specific.
-INSTALL         = $(if $(filter copy, $(NSDISTMODE)), $(NSINSTALL) -t, $(if $(filter absolute_symlink, $(NSDISTMODE)), $(NSINSTALL) -L $(PWD), $(NSINSTALL) -R))
+ifeq ($(NSDISTMODE),copy)
+INSTALL = $(NSINSTALL) -t
+else ifeq ($(NSDISTMODE),absolute_symlink)
+INSTALL = $(NSINSTALL) -L $(PWD)
+else
+INSTALL = $(NSINSTALL) -R
+endif
 
 endif # WINNT
 
 # The default for install_cmd is simply INSTALL
 install_cmd ?= $(INSTALL) $(1)
 
 # Use nsinstall in copy mode to install files on the system
 SYSINSTALL	= $(NSINSTALL) -t