diff --git a/autoconf/configure.ac b/autoconf/configure.ac
index ec25ff89420..fee1c2c4bec 100644
--- a/autoconf/configure.ac
+++ b/autoconf/configure.ac
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ dnl command line switches. When we build with a CVS directory, we get a
 dnl debug with assertions turned on. Without, we assume a source release and we
 dnl get an optimized build without assertions. See --enable-optimized and
 dnl --enable-assertions below
-if test -d "CVS" ; then
+if test -d "CVS" -o -d "${srcdir}/CVS"; then
   cvsbuild="yes"
   optimize="no"
   asserts="yes"
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 4ba2da8658a..11d602027f1 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2968,7 +2968,7 @@ presetting ac_cv_c_bigendian=no (or yes) will help" >&2;}
 esac
 
 
-if test -d "CVS" ; then
+if test -d "CVS" -o -d "${srcdir}/CVS"; then
   cvsbuild="yes"
   optimize="no"
   asserts="yes"