diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b6f3b2735..bf7ee965d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -19,21 +19,11 @@ endif
 WHALE = "🇩"
 ONI = "👹"
 FIX_PATH = $1
-ifeq ("$(OS)", "Windows_NT")
-	WHALE="+"
-	ONI="-"
-	FIX_PATH = $(subst /,\,$1)
-endif
 
 RELEASE=containerd-$(VERSION:v%=%).${GOOS}-${GOARCH}
 
 PKG=github.com/containerd/containerd
 
-# on SunOS default to gnu utilities for things like grep, sed, etc.
-ifeq ($(shell uname -s),SunOS)
-	export PATH := /usr/gnu/bin:$(PATH)
-endif
-
 # Project packages.
 PACKAGES=$(shell go list ./... | grep -v /vendor/)
 INTEGRATION_PACKAGE=${PKG}
@@ -49,24 +39,17 @@ TEST_REQUIRES_ROOT_PACKAGES=$(filter \
 
 # Project binaries.
 COMMANDS=ctr containerd containerd-stress
-ifneq ("$(GOOS)", "windows")
-	COMMANDS += containerd-shim
-endif
 BINARIES=$(addprefix bin/,$(COMMANDS))
-ifeq ("$(GOOS)", "windows")
-	BINARY_SUFFIX=".exe"
-endif
 
 GO_TAGS=$(if $(BUILDTAGS),-tags "$(BUILDTAGS)",)
 GO_LDFLAGS=-ldflags "-X $(PKG)/version.Version=$(VERSION) -X $(PKG)/version.Revision=$(REVISION) -X $(PKG)/version.Package=$(PKG) $(EXTRA_LDFLAGS)"
 
-# go test -race is only supported on the patforms listed below.
 TESTFLAGS_RACE=
-ifeq ($(filter \
-    linux/amd64 freebsd/amd64 darwin/amd64 windows/amd64, \
-    $(GOOS)/$(GOARCH)),$(GOOS)/$(GOARCH))
-	TESTFLAGS_RACE= -race
-endif
+
+#Detect the target os
+include Makefile.OS
+#include platform specific makefile
+include Makefile.$(target_os)
 
 # Flags passed to `go test`
 TESTFLAGS ?= -v $(TESTFLAGS_RACE)
diff --git a/Makefile.OS b/Makefile.OS
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..09a1e770d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile.OS
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#Detect the OS, and return installos value same as GOOS
+target_os =
+ifeq ($(OS),Windows_NT)
+    target_os = windows
+else
+    UNAME_S := $(shell uname -s)
+    ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Linux)
+        target_os = linux
+    endif
+    ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Darwin)
+        target_os = darwin
+    endif
+    ifeq ($(UNAME_S),FreeBSD)
+        target_os = freebsd
+    endif
+    ifeq ($(UNAME_S),SunOS)
+        target_os = solaris
+    endif
+endif
diff --git a/Makefile.darwin b/Makefile.darwin
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ab8ac344f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile.darwin
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#darwin specific settings
+COMMANDS += containerd-shim
+
+# supports go test -race
+TESTFLAGS_RACE= -race
diff --git a/Makefile.freebsd b/Makefile.freebsd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..675d6caa5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile.freebsd
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#freebsd specific settings
+COMMANDS += containerd-shim
+
+# supports go test -race
+TESTFLAGS_RACE= -race
diff --git a/Makefile.linux b/Makefile.linux
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0bf02ec3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile.linux
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#linux specific settings
+COMMANDS += containerd-shim
+
+# supports go test -race
+TESTFLAGS_RACE= -race
diff --git a/Makefile.solaris b/Makefile.solaris
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bfdfda022
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile.solaris
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#solaris specific settings
+
+# on SunOS default to gnu utilities for things like grep, sed, etc.
+export PATH := /usr/gnu/bin:$(PATH)
+
+COMMANDS += containerd-shim
diff --git a/Makefile.windows b/Makefile.windows
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6db1e603d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile.windows
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#Windows specific settings.
+WHALE = "+"
+ONI = "-"
+FIX_PATH = $(subst /,\,$1)
+
+BINARY_SUFFIX=".exe"
+
+# supports go test -race
+TESTFLAGS_RACE= -race