diff --git a/cosmo-all/Dockerfile b/cosmo-all/Dockerfile
index ffad174..31f1c51 100644
--- a/cosmo-all/Dockerfile
+++ b/cosmo-all/Dockerfile
@@ -29,21 +29,21 @@ RUN --mount=type=tmpfs,target=/tmp : \
      && rm -r o.old \
     ;fi \
 \
+ && { ./makeit MODE="$mode" depend || find o -name '*.o' -delete ;} \
+# start by building something simple, and then start using it as well: \
+ && ./makeit MODE="$mode" "o/$mode/third_party/make/make.com" \
+ && cp -t build/bootstrap "o/$mode/third_party/make/make.com" \
+;
+
+RUN --mount=type=tmpfs,target=/tmp : \
+ && . ./env \
  && skip() { mkdir -p "${1%/*}" && touch -d @2222222222 "$1" ;} \
 # skip some checks that fail under podman: \
  && skip "o/$mode/test/libc/calls/getgroups_test.com.runs" \
  && skip "o/$mode/test/libc/calls/getpriority_test.com.runs" \
  && skip "o/$mode/test/libc/stdio/tmpfile_test.com.runs" \
- && skip "o/$mode/third_party/python/Lib/test/test_signal.py.runs" \
  && skip "o/$mode/third_party/python/Lib/test/test_tarfile.py.runs" \
-# these can fail when nesting podman: \
-#&& shed test/libc/calls/ftruncate_test.c '/\.st_blocks/d' \
-#&& skip "o/$mode/test/tool/net/lunix_test.lua.runs" \
-#&& skip "o/$mode/third_party/python/Lib/test/test_selectors.py.runs" \
-# FIXME: SIGSEGV: \
-#&& skip "o/$mode/third_party/python/Lib/test/test_ioctl.py.runs" \
-\
- && { ./makeit MODE="$mode" depend || find o -name '*.o' -delete ;} \
+# just do it! \
  && ./makeit MODE="$mode" all \
 \
 # install the binaries somewhere so we can retrieve them without mounting cache: \
diff --git a/cosmo-bootstrap/Dockerfile b/cosmo-bootstrap/Dockerfile
index 1921128..94a9fbb 100644
--- a/cosmo-bootstrap/Dockerfile
+++ b/cosmo-bootstrap/Dockerfile
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ RUN : \
  && shed libc/calls/unveil.c \
 '/^  if (landlock_abi_version == -1) {/i\\
   landlock_abi_version = landlock_create_ruleset(0, 0, LANDLOCK_CREATE_RULESET_VERSION);' \
+# that's not how comments work! delete any "commented out" lines entirely. \
+ && sed -i '/#\t/d' third_party/third_party.mk \
 # create a mapping from flavor to mode (possibly an empty string) \
  && { [ "$COSMO_FLAVOR" != def ] && mode="$COSMO_FLAVOR" || mode= ;} \
  && printf '%s="%s"\n' >env \