diff --git a/Mk/bsd.port.mk b/Mk/bsd.port.mk
index d08e9510af53..ea74223cb71c 100644
--- a/Mk/bsd.port.mk
+++ b/Mk/bsd.port.mk
@@ -2143,7 +2143,7 @@ _MAKE_JOBS=		#
 MAKE_JOBS_NUMBER=	1
 .else
 .if defined(MAKE_JOBS_NUMBER)
-_MAKE_JOBS_NUMBER=	${MAKE_JOBS_NUMBER}
+_MAKE_JOBS_NUMBER:=	${MAKE_JOBS_NUMBER}
 .else
 _MAKE_JOBS_NUMBER!=	${SYSCTL} -n kern.smp.cpus
 .endif