diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 9e1fab869d..6d55602a0d 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ BITCOIN_CORE_H = \
 
 obj/build.h: FORCE
 	@$(MKDIR_P) $(builddir)/obj
-	@$(top_srcdir)/share/genbuild.sh "$(abs_top_builddir)/src/obj/build.h" \
+	$(AM_V_GEN) $(top_srcdir)/share/genbuild.sh "$(abs_top_builddir)/src/obj/build.h" \
 	  "$(abs_top_srcdir)"
 libbitcoin_util_a-clientversion.$(OBJEXT): obj/build.h
 
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ clean-local:
 	-rm -rf test/__pycache__
 
 .rc.o:
-	@test -f $(WINDRES)
+	@test -f $(WINDRES) || (echo "windres $(WINDRES) not found, but is required to compile windows resource files"; exit 1)
 	## FIXME: How to get the appropriate modulename_CPPFLAGS in here?
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(WINDRES) $(DEFS) $(DEFAULT_INCLUDES) $(INCLUDES) $(CPPFLAGS) -DWINDRES_PREPROC -i $< -o $@
 
@@ -1104,12 +1104,11 @@ endif
 
 %.raw.h: %.raw
 	@$(MKDIR_P) $(@D)
-	@{ \
+	$(AM_V_GEN) { \
 	 echo "static unsigned const char $(*F)_raw[] = {" && \
 	 $(HEXDUMP) -v -e '8/1 "0x%02x, "' -e '"\n"' $< | $(SED) -e 's/0x  ,//g' && \
 	 echo "};"; \
 	} > "$@.new" && mv -f "$@.new" "$@"
-	@echo "Generated $@"
 
 include Makefile.minisketch.include
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile.qt.include b/src/Makefile.qt.include
index 602a118259..7852d1a2fa 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.qt.include
+++ b/src/Makefile.qt.include
@@ -371,13 +371,13 @@ translate: $(srcdir)/qt/bitcoinstrings.cpp $(QT_FORMS_UI) $(QT_FORMS_UI) $(BITCO
 	@rm -f $(srcdir)/qt/locale/bitcoin_en.xlf.old
 
 $(QT_QRC_LOCALE_CPP): $(QT_QRC_LOCALE) $(QT_QM)
-	@test -f $(RCC)
+	@test -f $(RCC) || (echo "rcc $(RCC) not found, but is required for generating qrc cpp files"; exit 1)
 	@cp -f $< $(@D)/temp_$(<F)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) QT_SELECT=$(QT_SELECT) $(RCC) -name bitcoin_locale --format-version 1 $(@D)/temp_$(<F) > $@
 	@rm $(@D)/temp_$(<F)
 
 $(QT_QRC_CPP): $(QT_QRC) $(QT_FORMS_H) $(QT_RES_FONTS) $(QT_RES_ICONS) $(QT_RES_ANIMATION)
-	@test -f $(RCC)
+	@test -f $(RCC) || (echo "rcc $(RCC) not found, but is required for generating qrc cpp files"; exit 1)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) QT_SELECT=$(QT_SELECT) $(RCC) -name bitcoin --format-version 1 $< > $@
 
 CLEAN_QT = $(nodist_qt_libbitcoinqt_a_SOURCES) $(QT_QM) $(QT_FORMS_H) qt/*.gcda qt/*.gcno qt/temp_bitcoin_locale.qrc
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ bitcoin_qt_apk: FORCE
 	cd qt/android && ./gradlew build
 
 ui_%.h: %.ui
-	@test -f $(UIC)
+	@test -f $(UIC) || (echo "uic $(UIC) not found, but is required for generating ui headers"; exit 1)
 	@$(MKDIR_P) $(@D)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) QT_SELECT=$(QT_SELECT) $(UIC) -o $@ $< || (echo "Error creating $@"; false)
 
@@ -415,6 +415,6 @@ moc_%.cpp: %.h
 	$(AM_V_GEN) QT_SELECT=$(QT_SELECT) $(MOC) $(DEFAULT_INCLUDES) $(QT_INCLUDES_UNSUPPRESSED) $(MOC_DEFS) $< > $@
 
 %.qm: %.ts
-	@test -f $(LRELEASE)
+	@test -f $(LRELEASE) || (echo "lrelease $(LRELEASE) not found, but is required for generating translations"; exit 1)
 	@$(MKDIR_P) $(@D)
 	$(AM_V_GEN) QT_SELECT=$(QT_SELECT) $(LRELEASE) -silent $< -qm $@
diff --git a/src/Makefile.test.include b/src/Makefile.test.include
index 461022bbfc..aaa5e3158e 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.test.include
+++ b/src/Makefile.test.include
@@ -422,10 +422,9 @@ endif
 
 %.json.h: %.json
 	@$(MKDIR_P) $(@D)
-	@{ \
+	$(AM_V_GEN) { \
 	 echo "namespace json_tests{" && \
 	 echo "static unsigned const char $(*F)[] = {" && \
 	 $(HEXDUMP) -v -e '8/1 "0x%02x, "' -e '"\n"' $< | $(SED) -e 's/0x  ,//g' && \
 	 echo "};};"; \
 	} > "$@.new" && mv -f "$@.new" "$@"
-	@echo "Generated $@"