--- make-4.4.1-orig/src/expand.c	2023-01-28 18:18:16.000000000 +0300
+++ make-4.4.1/src/expand.c	2024-09-18 09:08:36.590934500 +0300
@@ -234,6 +234,17 @@
       return variable_buffer;
     }
 
+  if (length == SIZE_MAX)
+    {
+      /* Don't copy the string if it does not contain "$".  */
+      p1 = strchr (string, '$');
+      if (!p1)
+        {
+          o = variable_buffer_output (o, string, strlen (string) + 1);
+          return (variable_buffer + line_offset);
+        }
+    }
+
   /* We need a copy of STRING: due to eval, it's possible that it will get
      freed as we process it (it might be the value of a variable that's reset
      for example).  Also having a nil-terminated string is handy.  */
@@ -246,7 +257,13 @@
          variable output buffer, and skip them.  Uninteresting chars end
          at the next $ or the end of the input.  */
 
-      p1 = strchr (p, '$');
+      if (length == SIZE_MAX)
+        {
+          length = 0;
+          p1 = p + (size_t)(p1 - string);
+        }
+      else
+        p1 = strchr (p, '$');
 
       o = variable_buffer_output (o, p, p1 != 0 ? (size_t) (p1 - p) : strlen (p) + 1);