diff --git a/mkspecs/features/qlalr.prf b/mkspecs/features/qlalr.prf
index 941bfe0d9f6..54d8b583c6b 100644
--- a/mkspecs/features/qlalr.prf
+++ b/mkspecs/features/qlalr.prf
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ for (s, QLALRSOURCES) {
     $${base}.variable_out = GENERATED_SOURCES
     $${base}.depends += $$QMAKE_QLALR_EXE
     $${base}.commands = $$QMAKE_QLALR $$QMAKE_QLALRFLAGS ${QMAKE_FILE_IN}
-    silent: $${base}.commands = @echo qlalr ${QMAKE_FILE_IN} && $${base}.commands
+    silent: $${base}.commands = @echo qlalr ${QMAKE_FILE_IN} && $$eval($${base}.commands)
     $${base}.name = QLALR ${QMAKE_FILE_IN}
 
     $${base}_h.input = $$invar