diff --git a/configure b/configure
index a287efaec96dba17ebcbe5407d431c23bdf7a18d..eab0cb494522e27b38fd8fbcde8685cd68cad1b9 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1010,12 +1010,12 @@ EOF
       fi
     fi
 
-    # static link with sdl ?
+    # static link with sdl ? (note: sdl.pc's --static --libs is broken)
     if test "$sdl" = "yes" -a "$static" = "yes" ; then
       sdl_libs=`sdl-config --static-libs 2>/dev/null`
-      if test `sdl-config --static-libs 2>/dev/null | grep \\\-laa > /dev/null` ; then
+      if test $? = 0 && echo $sdl_libs | grep -- -laa > /dev/null; then
          sdl_libs="$sdl_libs `aalib-config --static-libs >2 /dev/null`"
-         sdl_cflags="$sd_cflags `aalib-config --cflags >2 /dev/null`"
+         sdl_cflags="$sdl_cflags `aalib-config --cflags >2 /dev/null`"
       fi
       if compile_prog "$sdl_cflags" "$sdl_libs" ; then
 	: