-starting_makefile := $(subst $(space),_SPACE_,$(abspath $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))
-mkfile_path := $(subst $(space),_SPACE_,$(abspath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))
+ESCAPED_ABS_PATH = $(subst $(space),_SPACE_,$(abspath $1))
+starting_makefile := $(call ESCAPED_ABS_PATH,$(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
+mkfile_path := $(call ESCAPED_ABS_PATH,$(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))