diff --git a/src/configure b/src/configure
index fa65032a97..cdaaea96bc 100755
--- a/src/configure
+++ b/src/configure
@@ -4359,7 +4359,7 @@ int main () {
    #ifdef __GNUC__
     return 0;
    #else
-    return 1;
+    if; // should fail
    #endif
    }
 _ACEOF
diff --git a/src/racket/configure.ac b/src/racket/configure.ac
index 92af108355..cc162f2bdf 100644
--- a/src/racket/configure.ac
+++ b/src/racket/configure.ac
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ AC_COMPILE_IFELSE(
    #ifdef __GNUC__
     return 0;
    #else
-    return 1;
+    if; // should fail
    #endif
    }, using_gnu_cpp=yes, using_gnu_cpp=no)
 if test "$using_gnu_cpp" = "yes" ; then