diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ PKG_CHECK_MODULES([CHECK], [check >= 0.9
 AC_SUBST([MYSQL_LIBS])
 AC_SUBST([MYSQL_CFLAGS])
 
-AC_DEFINE_DIR([SYSCONFDIR], "${sysconfdir}", [Directory to find configuration files in])
+AC_DEFINE_DIR([SYSCONFDIR], [sysconfdir], [Directory to find configuration files in])
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile
 src/Makefile