diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1b24bf50..e3132364 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -398,15 +398,10 @@ AS_IF([test "x$EMSCRIPTEN" = "x" -a "$host_os" != "pnacl"], [
 #endif
 #pragma GCC target("avx2")
 #include <immintrin.h>
-]], [[
-__m256i x = _mm256_abs_epi8(_mm256_setzero_si256());
-#ifdef __GNUC__
-__asm__ __volatile__ ("vpermq $1,%ymm1,%ymm2");
-#endif
-]])],
+]], [[ __m256i x = _mm256_abs_epi8(_mm256_setzero_si256()); ]])],
     [AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
      AC_DEFINE([HAVE_AVX2INTRIN_H], [1], [AVX2 is available])
-     AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG([-mavx2], [CFLAGS_AVX2="-mavx2"])
+     AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG([-mavx2], [CFLAGS_AVX="-mavx2"])
      AC_MSG_CHECKING(if _mm256_broadcastsi128_si256 is correctly defined)
      AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[
 #ifdef __native_client__