diff --git a/components/heap/test_multi_heap_host/Makefile b/components/heap/test_multi_heap_host/Makefile
index f0d5ab1fc1..16fd6439c5 100644
--- a/components/heap/test_multi_heap_host/Makefile
+++ b/components/heap/test_multi_heap_host/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 TEST_PROGRAM=test_multi_heap
 all: $(TEST_PROGRAM)
 
+ifneq ($(filter clean,$(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
+.NOTPARALLEL:  # prevent make clean racing the other targets
+endif
+
 SOURCE_FILES = $(abspath \
     ../multi_heap.c \
 	../multi_heap_poisoning.c \