diff --git a/src/Makefile.in b/src/Makefile.in
index d087311..b4c8c94 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.in
+++ b/src/Makefile.in
@@ -26,9 +26,6 @@ GIT_REV = "`git describe --always 2>/dev/null`"
 DEFS = @DEFS@ -DGIT_REV=\"$(GIT_REV)\"
 
 ETCSCREENRC = @ETCSCREENRC@
-ifeq (${ETCSCREENRC}, )
-ETCSCREENRC=$(prefix)/etc/screenrc
-endif
 SCREENENCODINGS = $(datadir)/screen/utf8encodings
 
 CC = @CC@
diff --git a/src/configure.in b/src/configure.in
index e9ca223..bb235dd 100644
--- a/src/configure.in
+++ b/src/configure.in
@@ -1298,6 +1298,7 @@ AC_TRY_RUN(main(){exit(0);},,AC_MSG_ERROR(Can't run the compiler - internal erro
 ETCSCREENRC=
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for the global screenrc file)
 AC_ARG_WITH(sys-screenrc, [  --with-sys-screenrc=path to the global screenrc file], [ ETCSCREENRC="${withval}" ])
+test -n "$ETCSCREENRC" || ETCSCREENRC=$prefix/etc/screenrc
 AC_SUBST(ETCSCREENRC)
 
 AC_OUTPUT(Makefile doc/Makefile, [[
