diff --git a/make_helpers/utilities.mk b/make_helpers/utilities.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62769fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/make_helpers/utilities.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2024, Arm Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+#
+
+space :=
+space := $(space) $(space)
+comma := ,
+
+null := �
+
+compat-path = $(subst $(space),$(null),$(1))
+decompat-path = $(subst $(null), ,$(1))
+
+absolute-path = $(call decompat-path,$(abspath $(call compat-path,$(1))))
+real-path = $(call decompat-path,$(realpath $(call compat-path,$(1))))
+
+file-name = $(call decompat-path,$(notdir $(call compat-path,$(1))))
+directory-name = $(call decompat-path,$(dir $(call compat-path,$(1))))
+
+escape-shell = '$(subst ','\'',$(1))'