diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index e573aecf276..f62e3c18a94 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2010-11-02  Alan Modra  <amodra@gmail.com>
+
+	PR binutils/12110
+	* configure.ac: Error when source path contains spaces.
+	* configure: Regenerate.
+
 2010-10-23  James E. Wilson  <wilson@codesourcery.com>
 
 	* MAINTAINERS: Update my email address.
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index b1fbfaa73d0..6c3d5d6f68a 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1393,6 +1393,11 @@ fi
 case $srcdir in
 */) srcdir=`expr "X$srcdir" : 'X\(.*[^/]\)' \| "X$srcdir" : 'X\(.*\)'`;;
 esac
+case $srcdir in
+  *" "*)
+    as_fn_error "path to source, $srcdir, contains spaces"
+    ;;
+esac
 ac_subdirs_all=`cd $srcdir && echo */configure | sed 's,/configure,,g'`
 
 for ac_var in $ac_precious_vars; do
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index bf5fe3ad832..ac44863917d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -221,7 +221,14 @@ target_configdirs=`echo ${target_libraries} ${target_tools}`
 build_configdirs=`echo ${build_libs} ${build_tools}`
 
 m4_divert_text([PARSE_ARGS],
-[ac_subdirs_all=`cd $srcdir && echo */configure | sed 's,/configure,,g'`
+[case $srcdir in
+  *" "*)
+m4_pushdef([AS_MESSAGE_LOG_FD], [])dnl
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([path to source, $srcdir, contains spaces])
+m4_popdef([AS_MESSAGE_LOG_FD])dnl
+    ;;
+esac
+ac_subdirs_all=`cd $srcdir && echo */configure | sed 's,/configure,,g'`
 ])
 
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