diff --git a/toolchain/helpers.mk b/toolchain/helpers.mk
index 95217e7b29..764c795d85 100644
--- a/toolchain/helpers.mk
+++ b/toolchain/helpers.mk
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ create_lib64_symlinks = \
 # $2: feature description
 #
 check_glibc_feature = \
-	if [ x$($(1)) != x"y" ] ; then \
+	if [ "$($(1))" != "y" ] ; then \
 		echo "$(2) available in C library, please enable $(1)" ; \
 		exit 1 ; \
 	fi
@@ -236,11 +236,11 @@ check_glibc = \
 #
 check_uclibc_feature = \
 	IS_IN_LIBC=`grep -q "\#define $(1) 1" $(3) && echo y` ; \
-	if [ x$($(2)) != x"y" -a x$${IS_IN_LIBC} = x"y" ] ; then \
+	if [ "$($(2))" != "y" -a "$${IS_IN_LIBC}" = "y" ] ; then \
 		echo "$(4) available in C library, please enable $(2)" ; \
 		exit 1 ; \
 	fi ; \
-	if [ x$($(2)) = x"y" -a x$${IS_IN_LIBC} != x"y" ] ; then \
+	if [ "$($(2))" = "y" -a "$${IS_IN_LIBC}" != "y" ] ; then \
 		echo "$(4) not available in C library, please disable $(2)" ; \
 		exit 1 ; \
 	fi