diff --git a/configure b/configure
index d44095dda6..893886cd51 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -17596,7 +17596,7 @@ $as_echo_n "checking for gethostbyname_r with 6 arguments... " >&6; }
 int
 main ()
 {
-struct hostent *he = gethostbyname_r((const char *)NULL, (struct hostent *)NULL, (char *)NULL, (int)0, (struct hostent **)NULL, (int *)NULL);
+int r = gethostbyname_r((const char *)NULL, (struct hostent *)NULL, (char *)NULL, (int)0, (struct hostent **)NULL, (int *)NULL);
   ;
   return 0;
 }
@@ -17624,7 +17624,7 @@ $as_echo_n "checking for gethostbyname_r with 5 arguments... " >&6; }
 int
 main ()
 {
-struct hostent *he = gethostbyname_r((const char *)NULL, (struct hostent *)NULL, (char *)NULL, (int)0, (int *)NULL);
+int r = gethostbyname_r((const char *)NULL, (struct hostent *)NULL, (char *)NULL, (int)0, (int *)NULL);
   ;
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 642d2749f0..8d2ca5ae0f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -963,7 +963,7 @@ if test "x$have_gethostbyname_r_public_declaration" = "xyes"; then
         AC_LINK_IFELSE(
                 [AC_LANG_PROGRAM([#include <stdlib.h>
                                  #include <netdb.h>],
-                                [struct hostent *he = gethostbyname_r((const char *)NULL, (struct hostent *)NULL, (char *)NULL, (int)0, (struct hostent **)NULL, (int *)NULL);])],
+                                [int r = gethostbyname_r((const char *)NULL, (struct hostent *)NULL, (char *)NULL, (int)0, (struct hostent **)NULL, (int *)NULL);])],
                 AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
                 AC_DEFINE([HAVE_GETHOSTBYNAME_R_6], 1, [Define to 1 if your system has gethostbyname_r with 6 arguments.]),
                 AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
@@ -973,7 +973,7 @@ if test "x$have_gethostbyname_r_public_declaration" = "xyes"; then
         AC_LINK_IFELSE(
                 [AC_LANG_PROGRAM([#include <stdlib.h>
 	                         #include <netdb.h>],
-                                [struct hostent *he = gethostbyname_r((const char *)NULL, (struct hostent *)NULL, (char *)NULL, (int)0, (int *)NULL);])],
+                                [int r = gethostbyname_r((const char *)NULL, (struct hostent *)NULL, (char *)NULL, (int)0, (int *)NULL);])],
                 AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
                 AC_DEFINE([HAVE_GETHOSTBYNAME_R_5], 1, [Define to 1 if your system has gethostbyname_r with 5 arguments.]),
                 AC_MSG_RESULT(no)