diff --git a/configure b/configure
index d038be6669..f4c02032f4 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1478,7 +1478,7 @@ if x86 ; then
   done
 
   # SSE implies MMX2, but not all SSE processors report the mmxext CPU flag.
-  test $_sse = yes && _mmxext=yes
+  test $_sse = kernel_check && _mmxext=kernel_check
 
   echocheck "CPU vendor"
   echores "$pvendor ($pfamily:$pmodel:$pstepping)"