diff --git a/src/configure.ac b/src/configure.ac
index 6311269..f6e54b3 100644
--- a/src/configure.ac
+++ b/src/configure.ac
@@ -4523,13 +4523,13 @@
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
       fi
       AC_SUBST(MSGFMT_DESKTOP)
-      AC_MSG_CHECKING([if msgfmt supports --no-convert])
+      AC_MSG_CHECKING([if $MSGFMT supports --no-convert])
       if "$MSGFMT" --help | grep -q --  '--no-convert' >/dev/null; then
         AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-        MSGFMTCMD="OLD_PO_FILE_INPUT=yes msgfmt --no-convert -v"
+        MSGFMTCMD="OLD_PO_FILE_INPUT=yes $MSGFMT --no-convert -v"
       else
         AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-        MSGFMTCMD="OLD_PO_FILE_INPUT=yes msgfmt -v"
+        MSGFMTCMD="OLD_PO_FILE_INPUT=yes $MSGFMT -v"
       fi
       AC_SUBST(MSGFMTCMD)
     fi