diff --git a/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile b/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile
index 90fa67b58fc3792306495d93812f5dafacd4695d..fe1d97cf738f257a5dd51298bc6f213114eb5d67 100644
--- a/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile
+++ b/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile
@@ -441,6 +441,23 @@ $(foreach a,${CROSS_COMPILER_TARGET_ARCHS},$(foreach l,$(LINK_$a),$(eval $(call
 SRCS_Linux = ${SOURCES_Linux}
 export SRCS_Linux
 
+# Perform default database expansion of .substitions/.templates into $(COMMON_DIR)
+db_internal: $(COMMON_DIR)
+
+define SUBS_EXPAND
+vpath $(notdir $2) $(dir $2)
+db_internal: $(COMMON_DIR)/$(notdir $(basename $2).db)
+
+$(COMMON_DIR)/$(notdir $(basename $2).db): $(notdir $2)
+	@printf "Inflating database ... %44s >>> %40s \n" "$$^" "$$@"
+	$(QUIET)$(MSI) -D $$(USR_DBFLAGS) -o $(COMMON_DIR)/$$(notdir $$(basename $2).db) $1 $$^ > $(COMMON_DIR)/$$(notdir $$(basename $2).db).d
+	$(QUIET)$(MSI)    $$(USR_DBFLAGS) -o $(COMMON_DIR)/$$(notdir $$(basename $2).db) $1 $$^
+endef
+
+$(foreach file,$(SUBS),$(eval $(call SUBS_EXPAND,-S,$(file))))
+$(foreach file,$(TMPS),$(eval $(call SUBS_EXPAND,,$(file))))
+
+
 install build debug:: $(MAKE_FIRST)
 	@echo "MAKING EPICS VERSION ${EPICSVERSION}"
 
@@ -463,21 +480,6 @@ install build debug:: $(COMMON_DIR)
 	((failed_builds == 0))
 
 
-db_internal: $(COMMON_DIR)
-
-define SUBS_EXPAND
-vpath $(notdir $2) $(dir $2)
-db_internal: $(COMMON_DIR)/$(notdir $(basename $2).db)
-
-$(COMMON_DIR)/$(notdir $(basename $2).db): $(notdir $2)
-	@printf "Inflating database ... %44s >>> %40s \n" "$$^" "$$@"
-	$(QUIET)$(MSI) -D $$(USR_DBFLAGS) -o $(COMMON_DIR)/$$(notdir $$(basename $2).db) $1 $$^ > $(COMMON_DIR)/$$(notdir $$(basename $2).db).d
-	$(QUIET)$(MSI)    $$(USR_DBFLAGS) -o $(COMMON_DIR)/$$(notdir $$(basename $2).db) $1 $$^
-endef
-
-$(foreach file,$(SUBS),$(eval $(call SUBS_EXPAND,-S,$(file))))
-$(foreach file,$(TMPS),$(eval $(call SUBS_EXPAND,,$(file))))
-
 else # T_A
 
 ifeq ($(filter O.%,$(notdir ${CURDIR})),)