diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
index 990304d5..c59d38b6 100644
--- a/common.mk
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ $(output_dir)/%.run: $(output_dir)/% $(sim)
 	$(sim) +max-cycles=$(timeout_cycles) $< && touch $@
 
 $(output_dir)/%.out: $(output_dir)/% $(sim)
-	$(sim) +permissive +verbose +max-cycles=$(timeout_cycles) +permissive-off $< 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3 | spike-dasm > $@
+	$(sim) $(PERMISSIVEON) +verbose +max-cycles=$(timeout_cycles) $(PERMISSIVEOFF) $< 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3 | spike-dasm > $@
 
 #########################################################################################
 # include build/project specific makefrags made from the generator
diff --git a/sims/verisim/Makefile b/sims/verisim/Makefile
index 74c92244..0c5644b8 100644
--- a/sims/verisim/Makefile
+++ b/sims/verisim/Makefile
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ sim_prefix = simulator
 sim = $(sim_dir)/$(sim_prefix)-$(MODEL_PACKAGE)-$(CONFIG)
 sim_debug = $(sim_dir)/$(sim_prefix)-$(MODEL_PACKAGE)-$(CONFIG)-debug
 
+PERMISSIVEON=
+PERMISSIVEOFF=
+
 .PHONY: default debug
 default: $(sim)
 debug: $(sim_debug)
diff --git a/sims/vsim/Makefile b/sims/vsim/Makefile
index 78242fd5..212c3e6f 100644
--- a/sims/vsim/Makefile
+++ b/sims/vsim/Makefile
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ sim_prefix = simv
 sim = $(sim_dir)/$(sim_prefix)-$(MODEL_PACKAGE)-$(CONFIG)
 sim_debug = $(sim_dir)/$(sim_prefix)-$(MODEL_PACKAGE)-$(CONFIG)-debug
 
+PERMISSIVEON=+permissive
+PERMISSIVEOFF=+permissive-off
+
 .PHONY: default debug
 default: $(sim)
 debug: $(sim_debug)