diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 304ebc388..1d3165dfa 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ CROSSDIR = @CROSSDIR@
 JOBS = $(shell nproc)
 ARCH_OPT = @ARCH_OPT@
 
-default: linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
+default:
 	make PATH=$(PATH):$(CROSSDIR) ARCH_OPT="$(ARCH_OPT)" -C hermit
 	make PATH=$(PATH):$(CROSSDIR) ARCH_OPT="$(ARCH_OPT)" -C hermit/tools proxy
 
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ travis:
 	make PATH=$(PATH):$(CROSSDIR) ARCH_OPT="$(ARCH_OPT)" -C hermit
 	make PATH=$(PATH):$(CROSSDIR) ARCH_OPT="$(ARCH_OPT)" -C hermit/tools proxy
 
-all: default
+all: linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
+	default
 
 linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage:
 	make -j$(JOBS) -C linux
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage:
 test:
 	. ./test.sh
 
-qemu:
+qemu: linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
 	$(QEMU) -smp 10 -m 8G -numa node,nodeid=0,cpus=0-4 -numa node,nodeid=1,cpus=5-9 \
 		-kernel linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage \
 		-append "root=/dev/ram0 rootfstype=ramfs init=init console=ttyS0" \
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b4b5e7b86..d934e54ec 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ On Debian-based systems the packets can be installed by executing:
    Fine tuning of the installation directories, e.g., with the flag `--prefix` is currently not supported.
    HermitCore, the cross-compiler and the demo applications will be installed in subdirectories of this repository.
    At the end of this *README* in section *Tips* you find hints to enable optimization for the target.
-2. The command `make` build the Linux kernel, the HermitCore kernel, the cross-compiler, and the demo applications.
+2. The command `make all` build the Linux kernel, the HermitCore kernel, the cross-compiler, and the demo applications.
 3. To start a virtual machine and to boot a small Linux version use the command `make qemu`.
    Per default, the virtual machine has 10 cores, 2 NUMA nodes, and 8 GiB RAM.
    To increase or to decrease the machine size, the label `qemu` in the Makefile has to be modified accordingly.