diff --git a/package/gzip/gzip.mk b/package/gzip/gzip.mk
index 6dc910ec15..c4e91b07cc 100644
--- a/package/gzip/gzip.mk
+++ b/package/gzip/gzip.mk
@@ -14,5 +14,12 @@ GZIP_DEPENDENCIES = $(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX),busybox)
 GZIP_LICENSE = GPLv3+
 GZIP_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 GZIP_CONF_ENV += gl_cv_func_fflush_stdin=yes
+# configure substitutes $(SHELL) for the shell shebang in scripts like
+# gzexe. Unfortunately, the same $(SHELL) variable will also be used by
+# make to run its commands. Fortunately, /bin/sh is always a POSIX shell
+# on both the target and host systems that we support. Even with this,
+# the configure check is slightly broken and prints a bogus warning:
+#  "using /bin/sh, even though it may have file descriptor bugs"
+GZIP_CONF_ENV += ac_cv_path_shell=/bin/sh
 
 $(eval $(autotools-package))