diff --git a/cde/m4/compiler_flag_chk.m4 b/cde/m4/compiler_flag_chk.m4
index d5ce3be74..9591ceae5 100644
--- a/cde/m4/compiler_flag_chk.m4
+++ b/cde/m4/compiler_flag_chk.m4
@@ -5,17 +5,17 @@ AC_DEFUN([CXX_FLAG_CHECK],
 [dnl
   AC_MSG_CHECKING([if $CXX supports $1])
   AC_LANG_PUSH([C++])
-  ac_saved_cxxflags="$CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS"
-  CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS="-Werror $1"
+  ac_saved_cxxflags="$CXXFLAGS"
+  CXXFLAGS="-Werror $1"
   AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([])],
     [cxx_flag_check=yes],
     [cxx_flag_check=no]
   )
   AC_MSG_RESULT([$cxx_flag_check])
-  CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS="$ac_saved_cxxflags"
+  CXXFLAGS="$ac_saved_cxxflags"
   if test "$cxx_flag_check" = yes
   then
-    CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS="$CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS $1"
+    CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS="$1 $CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS "
   fi
   AC_LANG_POP([C++])
 ])
@@ -24,17 +24,17 @@ AC_DEFUN([C_FLAG_CHECK],
 [dnl
   AC_MSG_CHECKING([if $CC supports $1])
   AC_LANG_PUSH([C])
-  ac_saved_ccflags="$C_COMPILER_FLAGS"
-  C_COMPILER_FLAGS="-Werror $1"
+  ac_saved_ccflags="$CFLAGS"
+  CFLAGS="-Werror $1"
   AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([])],
     [cc_flag_check=yes],
     [cc_flag_check=no]
   )
   AC_MSG_RESULT([$cc_flag_check])
-  C_COMPILER_FLAGS="$ac_saved_ccflags"
+  CFLAGS="$ac_saved_ccflags"
   if test "$cc_flag_check" = yes
   then
-    C_COMPILER_FLAGS="$C_COMPILER_FLAGS $1"
+    C_COMPILER_FLAGS="$1 $C_COMPILER_FLAGS "
   fi
   AC_LANG_POP([C])
 ])