diff --git a/src/rt/jemalloc/configure b/src/rt/jemalloc/configure
index f6ea76c7e840..47af18916a6c 100755
--- a/src/rt/jemalloc/configure
+++ b/src/rt/jemalloc/configure
@@ -4453,7 +4453,7 @@ PIC_CFLAGS='-fPIC -DPIC'
 CTARGET='-o $@'
 LDTARGET='-o $@'
 EXTRA_LDFLAGS=
-MKLIB='ar crus $@'
+MKLIB='$(AR) crus $@'
 CC_MM=1
 
 default_munmap="1"
diff --git a/src/rt/jemalloc/configure.ac b/src/rt/jemalloc/configure.ac
index b4c49655533b..2a53c14fda12 100644
--- a/src/rt/jemalloc/configure.ac
+++ b/src/rt/jemalloc/configure.ac
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ PIC_CFLAGS='-fPIC -DPIC'
 CTARGET='-o $@'
 LDTARGET='-o $@'
 EXTRA_LDFLAGS=
-MKLIB='ar crus $@'
+MKLIB='$(AR) crus $@'
 CC_MM=1
 
 dnl Platform-specific settings.  abi and RPATH can probably be determined