--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -124,6 +124,27 @@
 config_opts=$ac_configure_args
 AC_SUBST(config_opts)
 
+### Define the path to the shell on the host system.  Most systems will
+### ensure /bin/sh is the default shell so this can be safely ignored by
+### almost everyone.  However, when building for Android, for example,
+### this will need to be set.
+SHELL_PATH=/bin/sh
+AC_ARG_WITH([shell],
+  [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-shell=SHELL],
+    [use SHELL as the shell interpreter (default: /bin/sh)])])
+case $with_shell in
+  no)
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([A shell interpreter is required])
+  ;;
+  yes | "")
+  ;;
+  *)
+    SHELL_PATH=$with_shell
+  ;;
+esac
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([SHELL_PATH], ["$SHELL_PATH"],
+  [Define this to be the path to the shell command interpreter.])
+
 ### Enable bounds checking on element references within Octave's array and
 ### matrix classes.  This slows down some operations a bit, so it is turned off
 ### by default.

--- a/libinterp/interp-core/oct-procbuf.cc
+++ b/libinterp/interp-core/oct-procbuf.cc
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@
 #include "gripes.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 
+#ifndef SHELL_PATH
+#define SHELL_PATH "/bin/sh"
+#endif
+
 // This class is based on the procbuf class from libg++, written by
 // Per Bothner, Copyright (C) 1993 Free Software Foundation.
 
@@ -125,7 +129,7 @@
           octave_procbuf_list = octave_procbuf_list->next;
         }
 
-      execl ("/bin/sh", "sh", "-c", command, static_cast<void *> (0));
+      execl (SHELL_PATH, "sh", "-c", command, static_cast<void *> (0));
 
       exit (127);
     }

--- a/libinterp/interpfcn/toplev.cc
+++ b/libinterp/interpfcn/toplev.cc
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@
 #include "variables.h"
 #include "version.h"
 
+#ifndef SHELL_PATH
+#define SHELL_PATH "/bin/sh"
+#endif
+
 void (*octave_exit) (int) = ::exit;
 
 // TRUE means the quit() call is allowed.
@@ -950,7 +954,7 @@
                   // FIXME -- should probably replace this
                   // call with something portable.
 
-                  execl ("/bin/sh", "sh", "-c", cmd_str.c_str (),
+                  execl (SHELL_PATH, "sh", "-c", cmd_str.c_str (),
                          static_cast<void *> (0));
 
                   panic_impossible ();