diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 76086329..ae7cd44a 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ AC_PREREQ(2.61)
 # the version.sh script. Hence, it should be updated there.
 # The version in git should reflect the *next* version planned.
 #
-AC_INIT([zeromq],[m4_esyscmd_s([./version.sh])],[zeromq-dev@lists.zeromq.org])
+AC_INIT([zeromq],[m4_esyscmd([./version.sh])],[zeromq-dev@lists.zeromq.org])
 
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR(config)
 AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR(config)
diff --git a/version.sh b/version.sh
index b88bb61a..b4425d09 100755
--- a/version.sh
+++ b/version.sh
@@ -17,5 +17,5 @@ fi
 MAJOR=`echo $MAJOR | awk '{ print $3 }'`
 MINOR=`echo $MINOR | awk '{ print $3 }'`
 PATCH=`echo $PATCH | awk '{ print $3 }'`
-echo $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH
+echo $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH | tr -d '\n'