--- a/src/mkoctfile.in.cc
+++ b/src/mkoctfile.in.cc
@@ -37,6 +37,22 @@
 
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+// This mess suggested by the autoconf manual.
+
+#include <sys/types.h>
+
+#if defined HAVE_SYS_WAIT_H
+#include <sys/wait.h>
+#endif
+
+#ifndef WIFEXITED
+#define WIFEXITED(stat_val) (((stat_val) & 255) == 0)
+#endif
+
+#ifndef WEXITSTATUS
+#define WEXITSTATUS(stat_val) (static_cast<unsigned> (stat_val) >> 8)
+#endif
+
 static std::map<std::string, std::string> vars;
 
 #ifndef OCTAVE_VERSION
@@ -344,7 +360,13 @@
 {
   if (debug)
     std::cout << cmd << std::endl;
-  return system (cmd.c_str ());
+
+  int result = system (cmd.c_str ());
+
+  if (WIFEXITED (result))
+    result = WEXITSTATUS (result);
+
+  return result;
 }
 
 bool