diff --git a/src/configure.ac b/src/configure.ac
index 22c280d..c024f65 100644
--- a/src/configure.ac
+++ b/src/configure.ac
@@ -437,9 +437,9 @@
 
 dnl Set QUOTESED. Needs additional backslashes on zOS
 if test "$zOSUnix" = "yes"; then
-    QUOTESED="sed -e 's/[[\\\\\"]]/\\\\\\\\&/g' -e 's/\\\\\\\\\"/\"/' -e 's/\\\\\\\\\";\$\$/\";/'"
+    QUOTESED="sed -e 's/[[\\\\\"]]/\\\\\\\\&/g' -e 's/\\\\\\\\\"/\"/' -e 's/\\\\\\\\\";\$\$/\";/' -e 's/  */ /g'"
 else
-    QUOTESED="sed -e 's/[[\\\\\"]]/\\\\&/g' -e 's/\\\\\"/\"/' -e 's/\\\\\";\$\$/\";/'"
+    QUOTESED="sed -e 's/[[\\\\\"]]/\\\\&/g' -e 's/\\\\\"/\"/' -e 's/\\\\\";\$\$/\";/' -e 's/  */ /g'"
 fi
 AC_SUBST(QUOTESED)