diff --git a/prism/Makefile b/prism/Makefile
index f251700a..bd9fe88c 100644
--- a/prism/Makefile
+++ b/prism/Makefile
@@ -305,6 +305,9 @@ EXT_PACKAGES = lpsolve55 lp_solve_5.5_java
 
 .PHONY: clean javadoc tests
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 default: all
 
 all: cuddpackage extpackages prism
diff --git a/prism/src/automata/Makefile b/prism/src/automata/Makefile
index 47112e19..4d58df2e 100644
--- a/prism/src/automata/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/automata/Makefile
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/dd/Makefile b/prism/src/dd/Makefile
index 4fd43141..b7c8df3a 100644
--- a/prism/src/dd/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/dd/Makefile
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(LIB_DIR)/$(LIBPREFIX)dd$(LIBSUFFIX) $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(OBJ_DIR)/$(THIS_DIR)/dd_test$(EXE)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/dv/Makefile b/prism/src/dv/Makefile
index 19906ce5..215aa1f2 100644
--- a/prism/src/dv/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/dv/Makefile
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES) $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(INCLUDE_DIR)/DoubleVector.h $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(INCLUDE_DIR)/IntegerVector.h $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(LIB_DIR)/$(LIBPREFIX)dv$(LIBSUFFIX)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/explicit/Makefile b/prism/src/explicit/Makefile
index a2f56804..1ef53788 100644
--- a/prism/src/explicit/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/explicit/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/hybrid/Makefile b/prism/src/hybrid/Makefile
index afe2b1e4..e67d45e8 100644
--- a/prism/src/hybrid/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/hybrid/Makefile
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES) $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(INCLUDE_DIR)/PrismHybrid.h $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(LIB_DIR)/$(LIBPREFIX)prismhybrid$(LIBSUFFIX)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/jdd/Makefile b/prism/src/jdd/Makefile
index bdbeb417..afddcf2c 100644
--- a/prism/src/jdd/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/jdd/Makefile
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES) $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(INCLUDE_DIR)/JDD.h $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(INCLUDE_DIR)/JDDNode.h $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(INCLUDE_DIR)/JDDVars.h $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(LIB_DIR)/$(LIBPREFIX)jdd$(LIBSUFFIX)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/jltl2ba/Makefile b/prism/src/jltl2ba/Makefile
index 073d0265..03e48000 100644
--- a/prism/src/jltl2ba/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/jltl2ba/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/jltl2dstar/Makefile b/prism/src/jltl2dstar/Makefile
index a43a0d1d..69e79af7 100644
--- a/prism/src/jltl2dstar/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/jltl2dstar/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/mtbdd/Makefile b/prism/src/mtbdd/Makefile
index 78bc14a6..ce27efe9 100644
--- a/prism/src/mtbdd/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/mtbdd/Makefile
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 #      various options to be passed in         #
 ################################################
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 .SUFFIXES: .o .c .cc
 
 # Reminder: $@ = target, $* = target without extension, $< = dependency
diff --git a/prism/src/odd/Makefile b/prism/src/odd/Makefile
index 7f209a82..8c25bd65 100644
--- a/prism/src/odd/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/odd/Makefile
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES) $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(INCLUDE_DIR)/ODDUtils.h $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(LIB_DIR)/$(LIBPREFIX)odd$(LIBSUFFIX)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/param/Makefile b/prism/src/param/Makefile
index 4f651169..0aed1810 100644
--- a/prism/src/param/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/param/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/parser/Makefile b/prism/src/parser/Makefile
index 79de987c..3c7de134 100644
--- a/prism/src/parser/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/parser/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks PrismParser.java Prism3To4.java $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/pepa/compiler/Makefile b/prism/src/pepa/compiler/Makefile
index 64f7edf1..dcc6ea3f 100644
--- a/prism/src/pepa/compiler/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/pepa/compiler/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/prism/Makefile b/prism/src/prism/Makefile
index bb971d94..3af56849 100644
--- a/prism/src/prism/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/prism/Makefile
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES) $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(INCLUDE_DIR)/PrismNative.h $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(LIB_DIR)/$(LIBPREFIX)prism$(LIBSUFFIX) $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(OBJ_DIR)/$(THIS_DIR)/ngprism$(EXE)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/pta/Makefile b/prism/src/pta/Makefile
index c77809f9..a6268e3f 100644
--- a/prism/src/pta/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/pta/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks parser/PTAParser.java $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/settings/Makefile b/prism/src/settings/Makefile
index c151fd20..5337b136 100644
--- a/prism/src/settings/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/settings/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/simulator/Makefile b/prism/src/simulator/Makefile
index 6494d452..7ea4517d 100644
--- a/prism/src/simulator/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/simulator/Makefile
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/sparse/Makefile b/prism/src/sparse/Makefile
index f2fe5c32..b58d72e9 100644
--- a/prism/src/sparse/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/sparse/Makefile
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES) $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(INCLUDE_DIR)/PrismSparse.h $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(INCLUDE_DIR)/NDSparseMatrix.h $(PRISM_DIR_REL)/$(LIB_DIR)/$(LIBPREFIX)prismsparse$(LIBSUFFIX)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/strat/Makefile b/prism/src/strat/Makefile
index d7d34743..cfacd27f 100644
--- a/prism/src/strat/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/strat/Makefile
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \
diff --git a/prism/src/userinterface/Makefile b/prism/src/userinterface/Makefile
index a596858d..52417c29 100644
--- a/prism/src/userinterface/Makefile
+++ b/prism/src/userinterface/Makefile
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ default: all
 
 all: checks $(CLASS_FILES)
 
+# inhibit building in parallel (-j option)
+.NOTPARALLEL:
+
 # Try and prevent accidental makes (i.e. called manually, not from top-level Makefile)
 checks:
 	@if [ "$(SRC_DIR)" = "" ]; then \