diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b37df2c3e2..83299dbbd8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -76,8 +76,9 @@ LINKER_DIR      = $(ROOT)/src/main/target/link
 # Build tools, so we all share the same versions
 # import macros common to all supported build systems
 include $(ROOT)/make/system-id.mk
+
 # developer preferences, edit these at will, they'll be gitignored
-include $(ROOT)/make/local.mk
+-include $(ROOT)/make/local.mk
 
 # configure some directories that are relative to wherever ROOT_DIR is located
 TOOLS_DIR := $(ROOT)/tools
diff --git a/make/local.mk b/make/local.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index 1b66457a50..0000000000
--- a/make/local.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-# override the toolchain version, should match the output from of your version of the toolchain: $(arm-none-eabi-gcc -dumpversion)
-#GCC_REQUIRED_VERSION=5.4.1