diff --git a/config-ml.in b/config-ml.in
index 22021a7fe3c..3b0440f3bd2 100644
--- a/config-ml.in
+++ b/config-ml.in
@@ -615,7 +615,11 @@ fi
 
 if [ -z "${with_multisubdir}" ]; then
   ml_top_subdir=`${CC-gcc} --print-multi-directory 2>/dev/null`
-  ml_subdir=/$ml_top_subdir
+  if [ "$ml_top_subdir" = . ]; then
+    ml_subdir=
+  else
+    ml_subdir=/$ml_top_subdir
+  fi
   ml_builddotdot=
   : # ml_srcdotdot= # already set
 else