diff --git a/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build b/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
index f4cc4baa..aa23fe99 100755
--- a/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
+++ b/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
@@ -1464,7 +1464,7 @@ use_freebsd_pkg() {
     fi
 
     # check if 11-R or later
-    release="$(uname -r)"
+    release="${_PYTHON_BUILD_CACHE_UNAME_R:=$(uname -r)}"
     if [ "${release%%.*}" -ge 11 ]; then
       # Use packages from Ports Collection.
       #
@@ -2255,7 +2255,7 @@ if [ -z "$MAKE" ]; then
     if [ "$(echo $1 | sed 's/-.*$//')" = "jruby" ]; then
       export MAKE="gmake"
     else
-      if [ "$(uname -r | sed 's/[^[:digit:]].*//')" -lt 10 ]; then
+      if [ "echo ${_PYTHON_BUILD_CACHE_UNAME_R:=$(uname -r)} | sed 's/[^[:digit:]].*//')" -lt 10 ]; then
         export MAKE="gmake"
       else
         export MAKE="make"
diff --git a/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats b/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats
index aaf62864..b0b054cf 100644
--- a/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats
+++ b/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats
@@ -808,10 +808,8 @@ OUT
 @test "make on FreeBSD 9 defaults to gmake" {
   cached_tarball "Python-3.6.2"
 
-  stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD" "-r : echo 9.1"
-  for i in {1..6}; do stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD"; done
+  stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD"
   stub uname "-r : echo 9.1"
-  for i in {1..3}; do stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD"; done
 
   MAKE=gmake stub_make_install
 
@@ -825,10 +823,8 @@ OUT
 @test "make on FreeBSD 10" {
   cached_tarball "Python-3.6.2"
 
-  stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD" "-r : echo 10.0-RELEASE"
-  for i in {1..6}; do stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD"; done
+  stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD"
   stub uname "-r : echo 10.0-RELEASE"
-  for i in {1..3}; do stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD"; done
 
   stub_make_install
 
@@ -841,10 +837,8 @@ OUT
 @test "make on FreeBSD 11" {
   cached_tarball "Python-3.6.2"
 
-  stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD" "-r : echo 11.0-RELEASE"
-  for i in {1..6}; do stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD"; done
+  stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD"
   stub uname "-r : echo 11.0-RELEASE"
-  for i in {1..3}; do stub uname "-s : echo FreeBSD"; done
 
   stub_make_install