diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index b22c0d4d37..62174b657f 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ mjit_config.h:
 	@{ \
 	quote() { \
 	    printf "#define $$1"; shift; \
-	    printf ''$${1+' "%s"'$$sep} $${1+"$$@"} $${1-" /**/"}; \
+	    printf $${1+' "%s"'$$sep} $${@-" /**/"}; \
 	    echo; \
 	}; \
 	test "$(Q)" = @ || set -x; \