diff --git a/include/prereq-build.mk b/include/prereq-build.mk
index 8fae92ab97..14a2210880 100644
--- a/include/prereq-build.mk
+++ b/include/prereq-build.mk
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/prereq.mk
 SHELL:=sh
 PKG_NAME:=Build dependency
 
+$(eval $(call TestHostCommand,true, \
+	Please install GNU 'coreutils', \
+	$(TRUE)))
+
+$(eval $(call TestHostCommand,false, \
+	Please install GNU 'coreutils', \
+	$(FALSE); [ $$$$$$$$? = 1 ] && $(TRUE)))
 
 # Required for the toolchain
 $(eval $(call TestHostCommand,working-make, \
diff --git a/rules.mk b/rules.mk
index 57d7995d4f..cc7904ac72 100644
--- a/rules.mk
+++ b/rules.mk
@@ -268,6 +268,14 @@ FIND:=find
 PATCH:=patch
 PYTHON:=python3
 
+ifeq ($(HOST_OS),Darwin)
+  TRUE:=/usr/bin/env gtrue
+  FALSE:=/usr/bin/env gfalse
+else
+  TRUE:=/usr/bin/env true
+  FALSE:=/usr/bin/env false
+endif
+
 INSTALL_BIN:=install -m0755
 INSTALL_SUID:=install -m4755
 INSTALL_DIR:=install -d -m0755