diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index b74a9291..3772058b 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export mandir          := @mandir@
 export datarootdir     := @datarootdir@
 export install         := @INSTALL@
 export bash            := @_BASH@
+export awk             := @_AWK@
 export grep            := @GREP@
 export make            := @MAKE@
 export sed             := @SED@
@@ -177,6 +178,7 @@ define sed_it
 	           -e 's,@@CT_DATE@@,$(DATE),g;'            \
 	           -e 's,@@CT_make@@,$(make),g;'            \
 	           -e 's,@@CT_bash@@,$(bash),g;'            \
+	           -e 's,@@CT_awk@@,$(awk),g;'              \
 	           $< >$@
 endef
 
@@ -195,6 +197,7 @@ paths.mk: FORCE
 	@echo "  GEN    '$@'"
 	@(echo 'export install=$(install)';         \
 	  echo 'export bash=$(bash)';               \
+	  echo 'export awk=$(awk)';                 \
 	  echo 'export grep=$(grep)';               \
 	  echo 'export make=$(make)';               \
 	  echo 'export sed=$(sed)';                 \
@@ -210,6 +213,7 @@ paths.sh: FORCE
 	@echo "  GEN    '$@'"
 	@(echo 'export install="$(install)"';       \
 	  echo 'export bash="$(bash)"';             \
+	  echo 'export awk="$(awk)"';               \
 	  echo 'export grep="$(grep)"';             \
 	  echo 'export make="$(make)"';             \
 	  echo 'export sed="$(sed)"';               \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9c4fa983..e9950c64 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ AS_IF(
 AC_CACHE_VAL([ac_cv_path_SED],
     [AC_ARG_WITH([sed],
         AS_HELP_STRING([--with-sed=PATH],
-                       [Specify the full PATH to sed]),
+                       [Specify the full PATH to GNU sed]),
         [ac_cv_path_SED=$withval])])
 AC_PROG_SED
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether sed understands -r -i -e])
@@ -129,7 +129,6 @@ ACX_PATH_TOOL_REQ([READELF], [readelf])
 ACX_CHECK_PROGS_REQ([bison], [bison])
 ACX_CHECK_PROGS_REQ([flex], [flex])
 ACX_CHECK_PROGS_REQ([gperf], [gperf])
-ACX_CHECK_PROGS_REQ([awk], [gawk mawk nawk awk])
 ACX_CHECK_PROGS_REQ([makeinfo], [makeinfo])
 ACX_CHECK_PROGS_REQ([cut], [cut])
 ACX_CHECK_PROGS_REQ([stat], [stat])
@@ -151,7 +150,7 @@ ACX_PATH_PROGS_REQ([PATCH], [patch])
 AC_CACHE_VAL([ac_cv_path__BASH],
     [AC_ARG_WITH([bash],
         AS_HELP_STRING([--with-bash=PATH],
-                       [Specify the full PATH to bash >= 3.1]),
+                       [Specify the full PATH to GNU bash >= 3.1]),
         [ac_cv_path__BASH=$withval])])
 AC_CACHE_CHECK([for bash >= 3.1], [ac_cv_path__BASH],
     [AC_PATH_PROGS_FEATURE_CHECK([_BASH], [bash],
@@ -162,6 +161,21 @@ AC_CACHE_CHECK([for bash >= 3.1], [ac_cv_path__BASH],
          AC_MSG_ERROR([could not find bash >= 3.1])])])
 AC_SUBST([_BASH], [$ac_cv_path__BASH])
 
+# We need a awk that *is* GNU awk
+AC_CACHE_VAL([ac_cv_path__AWK],
+    [AC_ARG_WITH([awk],
+        AS_HELP_STRING([--with-awk=PATH],
+                       [Specify the full PATH to GNU awk]),
+        [ac_cv_path__AWK=$withval])])
+AC_CACHE_CHECK([for GNU awk], [ac_cv_path__AWK],
+    [AC_PATH_PROGS_FEATURE_CHECK([_AWK], [awk gawk],
+        [[_AWK_ver=$($ac_path__AWK --version 2>&1 \
+                     |$EGREP '^GNU Awk ')
+          test -n "$_AWK_ver" && ac_cv_path__AWK=$ac_path__AWK ac_path__AWK_found=:]],
+        [AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
+         AC_MSG_ERROR([could not find GNU awk])])])
+AC_SUBST([_AWK], [$ac_cv_path__AWK])
+
 #----------------------------------------
 # Check for GNU make 3.80 or above
 AC_CACHE_VAL([ac_cv_path_MAKE],
diff --git a/kconfig/kconfig.mk b/kconfig/kconfig.mk
index cc6aa46f..8748287c 100644
--- a/kconfig/kconfig.mk
+++ b/kconfig/kconfig.mk
@@ -29,18 +29,18 @@ oldconfig: .config
 
 # Always be silent, the stdout an be >.config
 extractconfig:
-	@awk 'BEGIN { dump=0; }                                                 \
-	      dump==1 && $$0~/^\[.....\][[:space:]]+(# |)CT_/ {                 \
-	          $$1="";                                                       \
-	          gsub("^[[:space:]]","");                                      \
-	          print;                                                        \
-	      }                                                                 \
-	      $$0~/Dumping user-supplied crosstool-NG configuration: done in/ { \
-	          dump=0;                                                       \
-	      }                                                                 \
-	      $$0~/Dumping user-supplied crosstool-NG configuration$$/ {        \
-	          dump=1;                                                       \
-	      }'
+	@$(awk) 'BEGIN { dump=0; }                                                  \
+	         dump==1 && $$0~/^\[.....\][[:space:]]+(# |)CT_/ {                  \
+	             $$1="";                                                        \
+	             gsub("^[[:space:]]","");                                       \
+	             print;                                                         \
+	         }                                                                  \
+	         $$0~/Dumping user-supplied crosstool-NG configuration: done in/ {  \
+	             dump=0;                                                        \
+	         }                                                                  \
+	         $$0~/Dumping user-supplied crosstool-NG configuration$$/ {         \
+	             dump=1;                                                        \
+	         }'
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------
 # Help text used by make help