diff --git a/python/build/autotools.py b/python/build/autotools.py
index b9db58e51..b6421dbaf 100644
--- a/python/build/autotools.py
+++ b/python/build/autotools.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ class AutotoolsProject(MakeProject):
         subprocess.check_call(configure, cwd=build, env=toolchain.env)
         return build
 
-    def build(self, toolchain):
+    def _build(self, toolchain):
         build = self.configure(toolchain)
         if self.subdirs is not None:
             for subdir in self.subdirs:
diff --git a/python/build/boost.py b/python/build/boost.py
index 8d33ba775..786a068b9 100644
--- a/python/build/boost.py
+++ b/python/build/boost.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class BoostProject(Project):
                          name='boost', version=version,
                          **kwargs)
 
-    def build(self, toolchain):
+    def _build(self, toolchain):
         src = self.unpack(toolchain)
 
         # install the headers manually; don't build any library
diff --git a/python/build/cmake.py b/python/build/cmake.py
index 099a5b75f..3f08d9872 100644
--- a/python/build/cmake.py
+++ b/python/build/cmake.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class CmakeProject(Project):
         configure(toolchain, src, build, configure_args)
         return build
 
-    def build(self, toolchain):
+    def _build(self, toolchain):
         build = self.configure(toolchain)
         subprocess.check_call(['ninja', 'install'],
                               cwd=build, env=toolchain.env)
diff --git a/python/build/ffmpeg.py b/python/build/ffmpeg.py
index ae2ff6b00..a8245b82a 100644
--- a/python/build/ffmpeg.py
+++ b/python/build/ffmpeg.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class FfmpegProject(Project):
         self.configure_args = configure_args
         self.cppflags = cppflags
 
-    def build(self, toolchain):
+    def _build(self, toolchain):
         src = self.unpack(toolchain)
         build = self.make_build_path(toolchain)
 
diff --git a/python/build/jack.py b/python/build/jack.py
index 6e71e7f1d..621614bae 100644
--- a/python/build/jack.py
+++ b/python/build/jack.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class JackProject(Project):
                          base='jack2-' + self.version,
                          **kwargs)
 
-    def build(self, toolchain):
+    def _build(self, toolchain):
         src = self.unpack(toolchain)
 
         includes = ['jack.h', 'ringbuffer.h', 'systemdeps.h', 'transport.h', 'types.h', 'weakmacros.h']
diff --git a/python/build/meson.py b/python/build/meson.py
index 1c7176b65..f15fa0682 100644
--- a/python/build/meson.py
+++ b/python/build/meson.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class MesonProject(Project):
         configure(toolchain, src, build, self.configure_args)
         return build
 
-    def build(self, toolchain):
+    def _build(self, toolchain):
         build = self.configure(toolchain)
         subprocess.check_call(['ninja', 'install'],
                               cwd=build, env=toolchain.env)
diff --git a/python/build/openssl.py b/python/build/openssl.py
index 0eaea95a7..dd02941b5 100644
--- a/python/build/openssl.py
+++ b/python/build/openssl.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class OpenSSLProject(MakeProject):
             'RANLIB=' + toolchain.ranlib,
         ]
 
-    def build(self, toolchain):
+    def _build(self, toolchain):
         src = self.unpack(toolchain, out_of_tree=False)
 
         # OpenSSL has a weird target architecture scheme with lots of
diff --git a/python/build/project.py b/python/build/project.py
index 521736333..a1ea28bc6 100644
--- a/python/build/project.py
+++ b/python/build/project.py
@@ -79,3 +79,6 @@ class Project:
             pass
         os.makedirs(path, exist_ok=True)
         return path
+
+    def build(self, toolchain):
+        self._build(toolchain)
diff --git a/python/build/zlib.py b/python/build/zlib.py
index a29ee88d8..0747a6d0d 100644
--- a/python/build/zlib.py
+++ b/python/build/zlib.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ class ZlibProject(Project):
                  **kwargs):
         Project.__init__(self, url, md5, installed, **kwargs)
 
-    def build(self, toolchain):
+    def _build(self, toolchain):
         src = self.unpack(toolchain, out_of_tree=False)
 
         subprocess.check_call(['/usr/bin/make', '--quiet',