diff --git a/sys/boot/Makefile b/sys/boot/Makefile
index c9b7463583a4..773caea82f57 100644
--- a/sys/boot/Makefile
+++ b/sys/boot/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 # $FreeBSD$
 
+.if !defined(NOFORTH)
 # Build the add-in FORTH interpreter
 SUBDIR+=		ficl
+.endif
 
 # Build OpenFirmware library
 .if ${MACHINE_ARCH} == "powerpc" || ${MACHINE_ARCH} == "sparc64"