diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index eea998d..6da62bb 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -155,8 +155,8 @@ AC_SUBST(PACKAGENAME)
 AC_SUBST(AM_CXXFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(AM_CPPFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(LIBS)
-DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS="$(env)"
-AC_SUBST(DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS)
+DISTCHECK_CONFIG_FLAGS="$(env | sed 's/ /\\ /g')"
+AC_SUBST(DISTCHECK_CONFIG_FLAGS)
 
 # create output
 AC_OUTPUT