diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 08ef19a2c098c2b75e2008a8a15a8fb4d737675b..b61ffb82bdc11dafbd7ea0cc3a5ab3eb06ab54fc 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ i=0
 set -C
 while : ; do i=$(($i+1))
 tmpc="./conf$$-$PPID-$i.c"
-2>/dev/null > "$tmpc" && break
+2>|/dev/null > "$tmpc" && break
 test "$i" -gt 50 && fail "$0: cannot create temporary file $tmpc"
 done
 set +C