diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 90ff5413..91e12849 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ AC_SUBST(SODIUM_LIBRARY_VERSION_MINOR)
 AC_SUBST(SODIUM_LIBRARY_VERSION)
 AC_SUBST(DLL_VERSION)
 
+AC_LANG_ASSERT(C)
 LX_CFLAGS=${CFLAGS-NONE}
 
 dnl Path check
@@ -180,19 +181,14 @@ AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG([-fvisibility=hidden],
   [CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -fvisibility=hidden"])
 
 AS_CASE([$host_os], [cygwin*|mingw*|msys|pw32*|cegcc*], [ ], [
-  AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG([-fPIC], [
-    AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG([-fPIC],
-      [CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -fPIC"]
-    )
-  ])
+  AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG([-fPIC], [CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -fPIC"])
 ])
 
 AS_IF([test "$enable_pie" != "no"],[
   AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG([-fPIE], [
-    AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG([-fPIE],
-      [AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG([-pie],
-        [CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -fPIE"
-         LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -pie"])
+    AX_CHECK_LINK_FLAG([-pie], [
+      [CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -fPIE"
+       LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -pie"]
     ])
   ])
 ])
diff --git a/m4/ax_check_compile_flag.m4 b/m4/ax_check_compile_flag.m4
index 5ae5d868..8fd4240d 100644
--- a/m4/ax_check_compile_flag.m4
+++ b/m4/ax_check_compile_flag.m4
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ AS_VAR_PUSHDEF([CACHEVAR],[ax_cv_check_[]_AC_LANG_ABBREV[]flags_$4_$1])dnl
 AC_CACHE_CHECK([whether _AC_LANG compiler accepts $1], CACHEVAR, [
   ax_check_save_flags=$[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS
   _AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS="$[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS $4 $1"
-  AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[#include <stdio.h>]],
-  [[char x[42U], fodder = 0;if (fodder > -1000 && fgets(x,1000,stdin)) puts(x)]])],
+  AC_TRY_LINK([#include <stdio.h>],
+    [char x[42U], fodder = 0;if (fodder > -1000 && fgets(x,1000,stdin)) puts(x)],
     [AS_VAR_SET(CACHEVAR,[yes])],
     [AS_VAR_SET(CACHEVAR,[no])])
   _AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS=$ax_check_save_flags])