diff --git a/ion/src/simulator/Makefile b/ion/src/simulator/Makefile
index a63c4470a..10f10fb1e 100644
--- a/ion/src/simulator/Makefile
+++ b/ion/src/simulator/Makefile
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ ion_src += $(addprefix ion/src/simulator/shared/, \
   timing.cpp \
 )
 
-assets = background.jpg horizontal_arrow.png vertical_arrow.png round.png small_squircle.png large_squircle.png
-assets_paths = $(foreach i,$(assets),ion/src/simulator/assets/$(i))
+ion_simulator_assets = background.jpg horizontal_arrow.png vertical_arrow.png round.png small_squircle.png large_squircle.png
+ion_simulator_assets_paths = $(add_prefix ion/src/simulator/assets/,$(ion_simulator_assets))
 
 include ion/src/simulator/$(TARGET)/Makefile
 include ion/src/simulator/external/Makefile
diff --git a/ion/src/simulator/linux/Makefile b/ion/src/simulator/linux/Makefile
index 5b05573a8..4eb394f12 100644
--- a/ion/src/simulator/linux/Makefile
+++ b/ion/src/simulator/linux/Makefile
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ LDFLAGS += -ljpeg
 $(eval $(call rule_for, \
   LINUX_ASSETS, \
   ion/src/simulator/linux/assets.s, \
-  $(assets_paths), \
-  $$(PYTHON) ion/src/simulator/linux/assets.py --files $(assets) --implementation $$@, \
+  $(ion_simulator_assets_paths), \
+  $$(PYTHON) ion/src/simulator/linux/assets.py --files $(ion_simulator_assets) --implementation $$@, \
   global \
 ))
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ SFLAGS += -I$(BUILD_DIR)
 $(eval $(call rule_for, \
   LINUX_ASSETS, \
   ion/src/simulator/linux/images.h, \
-  $(assets_paths), \
-  $$(PYTHON) ion/src/simulator/linux/assets.py --files $(assets) --header $$@, \
+  $(ion_simulator_assets_paths), \
+  $$(PYTHON) ion/src/simulator/linux/assets.py --files $(ion_simulator_assets) --header $$@, \
   global \
 ))
diff --git a/ion/src/simulator/shared/apple/helpers.mak b/ion/src/simulator/shared/apple/helpers.mak
index 9162eeb1c..85e4b4f86 100644
--- a/ion/src/simulator/shared/apple/helpers.mak
+++ b/ion/src/simulator/shared/apple/helpers.mak
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ $(call simulator_app_resource,$(1)): ion/src/simulator/assets/$(1) | $$$$(@D)/.
 	$(Q) cp $$^ $$@
 endef
 
-$(foreach asset,$(assets),$(eval $(call rule_for_asset,$(asset))))
+$(foreach asset,$(ion_simulator_assets),$(eval $(call rule_for_asset,$(asset))))
 
 # Process icons
 
diff --git a/ion/src/simulator/windows/Makefile b/ion/src/simulator/windows/Makefile
index 12a4124ea..fa5e72b70 100644
--- a/ion/src/simulator/windows/Makefile
+++ b/ion/src/simulator/windows/Makefile
@@ -27,16 +27,16 @@ LDFLAGS += -lgdiplus
 $(eval $(call rule_for, \
   WINDOWS_ASSETS, \
   ion/src/simulator/windows/resources.h, \
-  $(assets_paths), \
-  $$(PYTHON) ion/src/simulator/windows/assets.py --files $$^ --header-resource-rc $$@, \
+  $(ion_simulator_assets_paths), \
+  $$(PYTHON) ion/src/simulator/windows/assets.py --files $(ion_simulator_assets) --header-resource-rc $$@, \
   global \
 ))
 
 $(eval $(call rule_for, \
   WINDOWS_ASSETS, \
   ion/src/simulator/windows/resource_mapping.h, \
-  $(assets_paths), \
-  $$(PYTHON) ion/src/simulator/windows/assets.py --files $$^ --header-resource-mapping $$@, \
+  $(ion_simulator_assets_paths), \
+  $$(PYTHON) ion/src/simulator/windows/assets.py --files $(ion_simulator_assets) --header-resource-mapping $$@, \
   global \
 ))