diff --git a/BUILD/compile-dist b/BUILD/compile-dist
index 613f2643c56..7c2dbe00dc5 100755
--- a/BUILD/compile-dist
+++ b/BUILD/compile-dist
@@ -15,30 +15,49 @@ autoconf
 (cd bdb/dist && sh s_all)
 (cd innobase && aclocal && autoheader && aclocal && automake && autoconf)
 
+gmake=
+for x in gmake gnumake make; do
+  if $x --version 2>/dev/null | grep GNU > /dev/null; then
+    gmake=$x
+    break;
+  fi
+done
+
+if [ -z "$gmake" ]; then
+  # Our build may not depend on GNU make, but I wouldn't count on it
+  echo "Please install GNU make, and ensure it is in your path as gnumake, gmake, or make" >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
 # Default to gcc for CC and CXX
 if test -z "$CXX" ; then
-  export CXX=gcc
+  export CXX
+  CXX=gcc
   # Set some required compile options
   if test -z "$CXXFLAGS" ; then
-    export CXXFLAGS="-felide-constructors -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti"
+    export CXXFLAGS
+    CXXFLAGS="-felide-constructors -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti"
   fi
 fi
 
 if test -z "$CC" ; then
-  export CC=gcc
+  export CC
+  CC=gcc
 fi
 
 
 # Use ccache, if available
 if ccache -V > /dev/null 2>&1
 then
-  if ! (echo "$CC" | grep "ccache" > /dev/null)
+  if echo "$CC" | grep -v ccache > /dev/null
   then
-    export CC="ccache $CC"
+    export CC
+    CC="ccache $CC"
   fi
-  if ! (echo "$CXX" | grep "ccache" > /dev/null)
+  if echo "$CXX" | grep -v ccache > /dev/null
   then
-    export CXX="ccache $CXX"
+    export CXX
+    CXX="ccache $CXX"
   fi
 fi
 
@@ -50,4 +69,5 @@ fi
   --enable-thread-safe-client \
   --with-extra-charsets=complex \
   --with-ndbcluster
-make
+
+$gmake
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index f48f1544677..162e21d9d75 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ fi
 MYSQL_PROG_AR
 
 # libmysqlclient versioning when linked with GNU ld.
-if $LD --version 2>/dev/null|grep -q GNU; then
+if $LD --version 2>/dev/null|grep GNU > /dev/null; then
   LD_VERSION_SCRIPT="-Wl,--version-script=\$(top_builddir)/libmysql/libmysql.ver"
   AC_CONFIG_FILES(libmysql/libmysql.ver)
 fi
@@ -437,11 +437,13 @@ dnl Find paths to some shell programs
 AC_PATH_PROG(LN, ln, ln)
 # This must be able to take a -f flag like normal unix ln.
 AC_PATH_PROG(LN_CP_F, ln, ln)
-if ! ( expr "$SYSTEM_TYPE" : ".*netware.*" > /dev/null ); then
-# If ln -f does not exists use -s (AFS systems)
-if test -n "$LN_CP_F"; then
-  LN_CP_F="$LN_CP_F -s"
-fi
+if expr "$SYSTEM_TYPE" : ".*netware.*" > /dev/null; then
+  :
+else
+  # If ln -f does not exists use -s (AFS systems)
+  if test -n "$LN_CP_F"; then
+    LN_CP_F="$LN_CP_F -s"
+  fi
 fi
 
 AC_PATH_PROG(MV, mv, mv)
@@ -1940,14 +1942,16 @@ MYSQL_CHECK_IN_ADDR_T
 # Do the c++ compiler have a bool type
 MYSQL_CXX_BOOL
 # Check some common bugs with gcc 2.8.# on sparc
-if ! ( expr "$SYSTEM_TYPE" : ".*netware.*" > /dev/null ); then
-MYSQL_CHECK_LONGLONG_TO_FLOAT
-if test "$ac_cv_conv_longlong_to_float" != "yes"
-then
-  AC_MSG_ERROR([Your compiler cannot convert a longlong value to a float!
+if expr "$SYSTEM_TYPE" : ".*netware.*" > /dev/null; then
+  :
+else
+  MYSQL_CHECK_LONGLONG_TO_FLOAT
+  if test "$ac_cv_conv_longlong_to_float" != "yes"
+  then
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([Your compiler cannot convert a longlong value to a float!
 If you are using gcc 2.8.# you should upgrade to egcs 1.0.3 or newer and try
 again])
-fi
+  fi
 fi
 AC_CHECK_TYPES([sigset_t, off_t], [], [], [#include <sys/types.h>])
 AC_CHECK_TYPES([size_t], [], [], [#include <stdio.h>])