diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 8084d45e9..3b5f109ac 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 2002-08-23  Pavel Roskin  <proski@gnu.org>
 
+	* configure.in: Work around a bug in Autoconf-2.53 that prevents
+	splitting of user-specified path in AC_PATH_PROGS.
+
 	* configure.in: Move glib test earlier, as it tends to fail for
 	many users.  Make GLIB_CONFIG a precious variable.  Check for
 	glib12-config - that's how it's called on FreeBSD.
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 1b2b05fdc..ec9775441 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -24,9 +24,13 @@ dnl
 dnl Find glib 1.2.x.  This check should be kept close to the beginning,
 dnl as it tends to fail often.
 dnl
+
+dnl This temporary variable is a workaround for a bug in Autoconf-2.53
+glib_path=$PATH:/usr/local/bin
+
 dnl Klugde for FreeBSD, where glib-config is renamed to glib12-config.
-AC_PATH_PROGS([GLIB_CONFIG], [glib-config glib12-config],,
-	      [$PATH:/usr/local/bin])
+AC_PATH_PROGS([GLIB_CONFIG], [glib-config glib12-config],,[$glib_path])
+
 AC_ARG_VAR([GLIB_CONFIG], [Path to glib-config])
 AM_PATH_GLIB(1.2.0,,[AC_MSG_ERROR([Test for GLIB failed.  MC requires GLIB.])])
 LIBS="$LIBS $GLIB_LIBS"