--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([shared library link args])
 AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([ int foo(int val) { return val + 1; } ],[
 	# so now we try to create an archive from the compiled .o file
-	(ar cr conftest.a conftest.o) 2>&5
+	($AR cr conftest.a conftest.o) 2>&5
 	# see which shared-library ld commands work
 	#
 	# Darwin/Mac OS X - Terry Teague
