diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2a992845ce1..2dbb085f96a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-ifndef VERBOSE
+ifneq ($(VERBOSE),true)
 .SILENT:
 endif
 
diff --git a/builddefs/build_keyboard.mk b/builddefs/build_keyboard.mk
index acfad61e7d1..50411e952a8 100644
--- a/builddefs/build_keyboard.mk
+++ b/builddefs/build_keyboard.mk
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # responsible for determining which folder is being used and doing the
 # corresponding environment setup.
 
-ifndef VERBOSE
+ifneq ($(VERBOSE),true)
 .SILENT:
 endif
 
diff --git a/builddefs/build_test.mk b/builddefs/build_test.mk
index ccdad1b4e79..1f1a9fbea83 100644
--- a/builddefs/build_test.mk
+++ b/builddefs/build_test.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-ifndef VERBOSE
+ifneq ($(VERBOSE),true)
 .SILENT:
 endif
 
diff --git a/lib/python/qmk/build_targets.py b/lib/python/qmk/build_targets.py
index 35a5f89f91a..1d4f82c767c 100644
--- a/lib/python/qmk/build_targets.py
+++ b/lib/python/qmk/build_targets.py
@@ -113,9 +113,6 @@ class BuildTarget:
             'builddefs/build_keyboard.mk',
         ]
 
-        if not cli.config.general.verbose:
-            compile_args.append('-s')
-
         verbose = 'true' if cli.config.general.verbose else 'false'
         color = 'true' if cli.config.general.color else 'false'