--- configure.ac.orig	2023-07-28 17:16:37 UTC
+++ configure.ac
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([tests/run_prog_manual.sh],
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([tests/run_prog_manual.sh],
   [chmod +x tests/run_prog_manual.sh])
 
+AC_PATH_PROGS([MAKE], [gmake gnumake make])
+
 # In general: don't export/setenv but pass as option to configure
 #             this has the benefit that re-runs will take the same and "sudo"
 #             or later "make" (possibly as different user) will use the same
@@ -291,22 +293,6 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([MAX_CALL_FIELD_PARAMS], [$with_max
 
 
 # Basic capability tests
-
-configured_make=""
-if test -z "$MAKE"; then
-  AC_CHECK_PROGS([configured_make], [make gmake gnumake])
-  if test -z "$configured_make"; then
-	AC_MSG_ERROR([make not found])
-  else
-	MAKE=$configured_make
-	AC_SUBST(MAKE)
-  fi
-else
-  AC_CHECK_PROG([configured_make], [$MAKE], [$MAKE])
-  if test -z "$configured_make"; then
-	AC_MSG_ERROR([make, configured as "$MAKE", was not found])
-  fi
-fi
 
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether ${MAKE} can handle common constructs])
 rm -f confmake.out