diff --git a/build/autoconf/toolchain.m4 b/build/autoconf/toolchain.m4
index fe76bb6f0038..d6a23b3dddbb 100644
--- a/build/autoconf/toolchain.m4
+++ b/build/autoconf/toolchain.m4
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ fi
 if test "$GXX" = "yes"; then
     GNU_CXX=1
     CXX_VERSION=`$CXX -v 2>&1 | grep 'gcc version'`
-    changequote(,)
-    GCC_VERSION_FULL=`echo "$CXX_VERSION" | $PERL -pe 's/^.*gcc version ([^ ]*).*/$1/'`
-    GCC_VERSION=`echo "$GCC_VERSION_FULL" | $PERL -pe '(split(/\./))[0]>=4&&s/(^\d*\.\d*).*/$1/;'`
-    changequote([,])
+    changequote(<<,>>)
+    GCC_VERSION_FULL=`echo "$CXX_VERSION" | $PERL -pe 's/^.*gcc version ([^ ]*).*/<<$>>1/'`
+    GCC_VERSION=`echo "$GCC_VERSION_FULL" | $PERL -pe '(split(/\./))[0]>=4&&s/(^\d*\.\d*).*/<<$>>1/;'`
 
-    GCC_MAJOR_VERSION=`echo ${GCC_VERSION} | $AWK -F\. '{ print $1 }'`
-    GCC_MINOR_VERSION=`echo ${GCC_VERSION} | $AWK -F\. '{ print $2 }'`
+    GCC_MAJOR_VERSION=`echo ${GCC_VERSION} | $AWK -F\. '{ print <<$>>1 }'`
+    GCC_MINOR_VERSION=`echo ${GCC_VERSION} | $AWK -F\. '{ print <<$>>2 }'`
+    changequote([,])
 fi
 
 if test "`echo | $AS -o conftest.out -v 2>&1 | grep -c GNU`" != "0"; then
diff --git a/js/src/build/autoconf/toolchain.m4 b/js/src/build/autoconf/toolchain.m4
index fe76bb6f0038..d6a23b3dddbb 100644
--- a/js/src/build/autoconf/toolchain.m4
+++ b/js/src/build/autoconf/toolchain.m4
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ fi
 if test "$GXX" = "yes"; then
     GNU_CXX=1
     CXX_VERSION=`$CXX -v 2>&1 | grep 'gcc version'`
-    changequote(,)
-    GCC_VERSION_FULL=`echo "$CXX_VERSION" | $PERL -pe 's/^.*gcc version ([^ ]*).*/$1/'`
-    GCC_VERSION=`echo "$GCC_VERSION_FULL" | $PERL -pe '(split(/\./))[0]>=4&&s/(^\d*\.\d*).*/$1/;'`
-    changequote([,])
+    changequote(<<,>>)
+    GCC_VERSION_FULL=`echo "$CXX_VERSION" | $PERL -pe 's/^.*gcc version ([^ ]*).*/<<$>>1/'`
+    GCC_VERSION=`echo "$GCC_VERSION_FULL" | $PERL -pe '(split(/\./))[0]>=4&&s/(^\d*\.\d*).*/<<$>>1/;'`
 
-    GCC_MAJOR_VERSION=`echo ${GCC_VERSION} | $AWK -F\. '{ print $1 }'`
-    GCC_MINOR_VERSION=`echo ${GCC_VERSION} | $AWK -F\. '{ print $2 }'`
+    GCC_MAJOR_VERSION=`echo ${GCC_VERSION} | $AWK -F\. '{ print <<$>>1 }'`
+    GCC_MINOR_VERSION=`echo ${GCC_VERSION} | $AWK -F\. '{ print <<$>>2 }'`
+    changequote([,])
 fi
 
 if test "`echo | $AS -o conftest.out -v 2>&1 | grep -c GNU`" != "0"; then