diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c71dac4..8982f67 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ install: all
 	
 config/config.h: config/Makefile config/configure config/configure.inc \
 		$(wildcard config/*.in)
-	cd config && make config.h
+	cd config && ${MAKE} config.h
 
 lib/bup/_helpers$(SOEXT): \
 		config/config.h \
diff --git a/config/Makefile b/config/Makefile
index 451e49d..3d087cf 100644
--- a/config/Makefile
+++ b/config/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 -include config.vars
 
 config.h: configure configure.inc $(wildcard *.in)
-	./configure
+	./configure MAKE=${MAKE}
 
 clean:
 	rm -f ${CONFIGURE_FILES} ${GENERATED_FILES}
diff --git a/config/configure b/config/configure
index 902bca6..2fac775 100755
--- a/config/configure
+++ b/config/configure
@@ -12,11 +12,6 @@ if ! AC_PROG_CC; then
 fi
 
 TLOGN "checking the GNU make"
-MAKE=`acLookFor make`
-if [ -z "$MAKE" ]; then
-    AC_FAIL " Cannot find make";
-fi
-
 MAKE_GNU=`$MAKE --version | grep "GNU Make"`
 if [ -z "$MAKE_GNU" ]; then
     AC_FAIL " $MAKE is not GNU Make"