diff --git a/Bootloaders/makefile b/Bootloaders/makefile
index 94147ead02d..56db658088f 100644
--- a/Bootloaders/makefile
+++ b/Bootloaders/makefile
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@
 
 PROJECT_DIRECTORIES = $(shell ls -d *)
 
+# This makefile is potentially infinitely recursive if something really bad
+# happens when determining the set of project directories - hard-abort if
+# more than 10 levels deep to avoid angry emails.
+ifeq ($(MAKELEVEL), 10)
+   $(error EMERGENCY ABORT: INFINITE RECURSION DETECTED)
+endif
+
 all:
 	@$(foreach PROJECT, $(PROJECT_DIRECTORIES), $(MAKE) -s -C $(PROJECT) clean all;)
 
diff --git a/Demos/Device/ClassDriver/makefile b/Demos/Device/ClassDriver/makefile
index cfa776a7216..99e7c24a158 100644
--- a/Demos/Device/ClassDriver/makefile
+++ b/Demos/Device/ClassDriver/makefile
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@
 
 PROJECT_DIRECTORIES = $(shell ls -d */)
 
+# This makefile is potentially infinitely recursive if something really bad
+# happens when determining the set of project directories - hard-abort if
+# more than 10 levels deep to avoid angry emails.
+ifeq ($(MAKELEVEL), 10)
+   $(error EMERGENCY ABORT: INFINITE RECURSION DETECTED)
+endif
+
 all:
 	@$(foreach PROJECT, $(PROJECT_DIRECTORIES), $(MAKE) -s -C $(PROJECT) clean all;)
 
diff --git a/Demos/Device/LowLevel/makefile b/Demos/Device/LowLevel/makefile
index 4673bfe573b..639b253032e 100644
--- a/Demos/Device/LowLevel/makefile
+++ b/Demos/Device/LowLevel/makefile
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@
 
 PROJECT_DIRECTORIES = $(shell ls -d *)
 
+# This makefile is potentially infinitely recursive if something really bad
+# happens when determining the set of project directories - hard-abort if
+# more than 10 levels deep to avoid angry emails.
+ifeq ($(MAKELEVEL), 10)
+   $(error EMERGENCY ABORT: INFINITE RECURSION DETECTED)
+endif
+
 all:
 	@$(foreach PROJECT, $(PROJECT_DIRECTORIES), $(MAKE) -s -C $(PROJECT) clean all;)
 
diff --git a/Demos/DualRole/ClassDriver/makefile b/Demos/DualRole/ClassDriver/makefile
index 06552493e47..ecc49ec8957 100644
--- a/Demos/DualRole/ClassDriver/makefile
+++ b/Demos/DualRole/ClassDriver/makefile
@@ -15,10 +15,16 @@
 
 PROJECT_DIRECTORIES = $(shell ls -d *)
 
+# This makefile is potentially infinitely recursive if something really bad
+# happens when determining the set of project directories - hard-abort if
+# more than 10 levels deep to avoid angry emails.
+ifeq ($(MAKELEVEL), 10)
+   $(error EMERGENCY ABORT: INFINITE RECURSION DETECTED)
+endif
+
 all:
 	@$(foreach PROJECT, $(PROJECT_DIRECTORIES), $(MAKE) -s -C $(PROJECT) clean all;)
 
 %:
 	@$(foreach PROJECT, $(PROJECT_DIRECTORIES), $(MAKE) -s -C $(PROJECT) $@;)
 
-
diff --git a/Demos/Host/ClassDriver/makefile b/Demos/Host/ClassDriver/makefile
index 5c532f1a07d..25cfedf1a5a 100644
--- a/Demos/Host/ClassDriver/makefile
+++ b/Demos/Host/ClassDriver/makefile
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@
 
 PROJECT_DIRECTORIES = $(shell ls -d *)
 
+# This makefile is potentially infinitely recursive if something really bad
+# happens when determining the set of project directories - hard-abort if
+# more than 10 levels deep to avoid angry emails.
+ifeq ($(MAKELEVEL), 10)
+   $(error EMERGENCY ABORT: INFINITE RECURSION DETECTED)
+endif
+
 all:
 	@$(foreach PROJECT, $(PROJECT_DIRECTORIES), $(MAKE) -s -C $(PROJECT) clean all;)
 
diff --git a/Demos/Host/LowLevel/makefile b/Demos/Host/LowLevel/makefile
index 5c532f1a07d..25cfedf1a5a 100644
--- a/Demos/Host/LowLevel/makefile
+++ b/Demos/Host/LowLevel/makefile
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@
 
 PROJECT_DIRECTORIES = $(shell ls -d *)
 
+# This makefile is potentially infinitely recursive if something really bad
+# happens when determining the set of project directories - hard-abort if
+# more than 10 levels deep to avoid angry emails.
+ifeq ($(MAKELEVEL), 10)
+   $(error EMERGENCY ABORT: INFINITE RECURSION DETECTED)
+endif
+
 all:
 	@$(foreach PROJECT, $(PROJECT_DIRECTORIES), $(MAKE) -s -C $(PROJECT) clean all;)
 
diff --git a/Projects/makefile b/Projects/makefile
index 50ce7ad6d05..94deb0ed310 100644
--- a/Projects/makefile
+++ b/Projects/makefile
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@
 
 PROJECT_DIRECTORIES = $(shell ls -d *)
 
+# This makefile is potentially infinitely recursive if something really bad
+# happens when determining the set of project directories - hard-abort if
+# more than 10 levels deep to avoid angry emails.
+ifeq ($(MAKELEVEL), 10)
+   $(error EMERGENCY ABORT: INFINITE RECURSION DETECTED)
+endif
+
 all:
 	@$(foreach PROJECT, $(PROJECT_DIRECTORIES), $(MAKE) -s -C $(PROJECT) clean all;)