diff --git a/configure.base b/configure.base
index a60ba311df..b0835be89c 100644
--- a/configure.base
+++ b/configure.base
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ AC_PROG_CC
 AM_PROG_CC_STDC
 dnl you need automake 1.5 for AM_PROG_AS to work !
 AM_PROG_AS
+dnl there's something wrong with AS being set to CC
+AS=as
+AC_SUBST(AS,as)
+
 AC_PROG_CXX
 AC_PROG_CXXCPP
 AC_ISC_POSIX