diff --git a/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile b/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile
index b27ae8fa17fa7da2e3d8990a1cc68ad9a010b2ab..16a83dacb32469c6542ac76021347b36275de1ad 100644
--- a/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile
+++ b/require-ess/tools/driver.makefile
@@ -478,6 +478,7 @@ endef
 $(call while,$$(_MODULES),$(update_dep_versions))
 
 $(foreach m,$(REQ),$(eval export $m_VERSION))
+export REQ
 
 debug::
 	@echo "===================== Pass 3: T_A = $(T_A) ====================="
@@ -519,9 +520,6 @@ install build debug:: O.${EPICSVERSION}_${T_A}
 
 endif
 
-REQ += ${REQUIRED} $(foreach x, ${VAR_EXTENSIONS}, ${REQUIRED_$x})
-export REQ
-
 SRCS += $(foreach x, ${VAR_EXTENSIONS}, ${SOURCES_$x})
 USR_LIBOBJS += ${LIBOBJS} $(foreach x,${VAR_EXTENSIONS},${LIBOBJS_$x})
 export USR_LIBOBJS