diff --git a/src/Cardinal/Makefile b/src/Cardinal/Makefile
index 90e7891..cb37c01 100644
--- a/src/Cardinal/Makefile
+++ b/src/Cardinal/Makefile
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@
 #
 
 NAME = Cardinal
+CARDINAL_VARIANT = main
 include ../Makefile.cardinal.mk
diff --git a/src/CardinalFX/Makefile b/src/CardinalFX/Makefile
index 3a400ab..75c9c5c 100644
--- a/src/CardinalFX/Makefile
+++ b/src/CardinalFX/Makefile
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@
 #
 
 NAME = CardinalFX
+CARDINAL_VARIANT = fx
 include ../Makefile.cardinal.mk
diff --git a/src/CardinalMini/Makefile b/src/CardinalMini/Makefile
index 24e5043..711bb26 100644
--- a/src/CardinalMini/Makefile
+++ b/src/CardinalMini/Makefile
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@
 #
 
 NAME = CardinalMini
+CARDINAL_VARIANT = mini
 include ../Makefile.cardinal.mk
diff --git a/src/CardinalMiniSep/Makefile b/src/CardinalMiniSep/Makefile
index 1a97ebd..cb2d658 100644
--- a/src/CardinalMiniSep/Makefile
+++ b/src/CardinalMiniSep/Makefile
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #
 
 NAME = CardinalMini
+CARDINAL_VARIANT = mini
 DPF_BUILD_DIR = ../../build/$(NAME)-sep
 DSP_UI_SPLIT = true
 MODGUI_CLASS_NAME = distrho_cardinal_mini
diff --git a/src/CardinalNative/Makefile b/src/CardinalNative/Makefile
index 9798d7e..8106509 100644
--- a/src/CardinalNative/Makefile
+++ b/src/CardinalNative/Makefile
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@
 #
 
 NAME = CardinalNative
+CARDINAL_VARIANT = native
 include ../Makefile.cardinal.mk
diff --git a/src/CardinalSynth/Makefile b/src/CardinalSynth/Makefile
index 59eab40..0ea96a7 100644
--- a/src/CardinalSynth/Makefile
+++ b/src/CardinalSynth/Makefile
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@
 #
 
 NAME = CardinalSynth
+CARDINAL_VARIANT = synth
 include ../Makefile.cardinal.mk
diff --git a/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk b/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk
index 731dc36..6193711 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk
+++ b/src/Makefile.cardinal.mk
@@ -10,17 +10,8 @@
 ifeq ($(NAME),)
 $(error invalid usage)
 endif
-
-ifeq ($(NAME),Cardinal)
-CARDINAL_VARIANT = main
-else ifeq ($(NAME),CardinalMini)
-CARDINAL_VARIANT = mini
-else ifeq ($(NAME),CardinalFX)
-CARDINAL_VARIANT = fx
-else ifeq ($(NAME),CardinalNative)
-CARDINAL_VARIANT = native
-else ifeq ($(NAME),CardinalSynth)
-CARDINAL_VARIANT = synth
+ifeq ($(CARDINAL_VARIANT),)
+$(error invalid usage)
 endif
 
 # --------------------------------------------------------------