diff --git a/m4/wget.m4 b/m4/wget.m4
index 66c41f08..88f13bce 100644
--- a/m4/wget.m4
+++ b/m4/wget.m4
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ AC_CACHE_VAL(ac_cv_path_$1,
   ac_cv_path_$1="[$]$1" # Let the user override the test with a path.
   ;;
   *)
-  IFS="${IFS= 	}"; ac_save_ifs="$IFS"; IFS="${IFS}:"
+  IFS="${IFS= 	}"; ac_save_ifs="$IFS"; IFS="${IFS}${PATH_SEPARATOR}"
   for ac_dir in ifelse([$5], , $PATH, [$5]); do
     test -z "$ac_dir" && ac_dir=.
     if test -f $ac_dir/$ac_word; then