diff --git a/src/configure b/src/configure
index 03a27f65676..888e255b461 100755
--- a/src/configure
+++ b/src/configure
@@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ if test "$ECHO_N_OUT" -eq 0; then
 else
   if test "ECHO_C_OUT" -eq 0; then
     DASH_N=
-    BACKSLASH_C= '\\\\c'
+    BACKSLASH_C='\\\\c'
   else
     { echo "configure: error: "echo behaviour undetermined"" 1>&2; exit 1; }
   fi
diff --git a/src/configure.in b/src/configure.in
index 4851baca3c0..53ed959b7d7 100644
--- a/src/configure.in
+++ b/src/configure.in
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ if test "$ECHO_N_OUT" -eq 0; then
 else
   if test "ECHO_C_OUT" -eq 0; then
     DASH_N=
-    BACKSLASH_C= '\\\\c'
+    BACKSLASH_C='\\\\c'
   else
     AC_MSG_ERROR("echo behaviour undetermined")
   fi