diff --git a/config/configure.in b/config/configure.in
index 76f8b2ec8..7d58ecbc6 100755
--- a/config/configure.in
+++ b/config/configure.in
@@ -483,17 +483,17 @@ AC_MSG_RESULT(${precompile_headers})
 
 has_sstream=no
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for sstream)
-cat >> teststream.cpp << \EOF
+cat >> testsstream.cpp << EOF
 #include <sstream>
 main() {}
 EOF
- msg=`$CXX -c testsstream &> /dev/null`
+ msg=`${CXX} -c testsstream.cpp &> /dev/null`
  if test -f testsstream.o; then 
   has_sstream=yes
-  rm teststream.o
+  rm testsstream.o
   AC_DEFINE(HAS_SSTREAM)
  fi
-rm teststream.cpp
+rm -f testsstream.cpp
 AC_MSG_RESULT(${has_sstream})