--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -503,8 +503,7 @@ dnl CPU emulator
    AC_MSG_NOTICE(Compiling for native x86...);
   fi
 
-
-if ! echo '.code16;.text;addr32 pushw 4(%esp)' | as -o dummy.o >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+if ! echo '.code16;.text;addr32 pushw 4(%esp)' | $CC -c -x assembler -o dummy.o - >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   echo ''
   echo '*** error:'
   echo '*** Your system has no complete code16 functional gas,'