Formerly read.c.~69~

diff --git a/read.c b/read.c
index 47e54ad..4d076a4 100644 (file)
--- a/read.c
+++ b/read.c
@@ -587,6 +587,13 @@ read_makefile (filename, flags)
       else if (try_variable_definition (filename, lineno, p, o_file))
        /* This line has been dealt with.  */
        ;
+      else if (lb.buffer[0] == '\t')
+       /* This line starts with a tab but was not caught above
+          because there was no preceding target, and the line
+          might have been usable as a variable definition.
+          But now it is definitely lossage.  */
+       makefile_fatal (filename, lineno,
+                       "commands commence before first target");
       else
        {
          /* This line describes some target files.  */