diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 07baa2f..4597a0d 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ if test "$E1" != 0 || test "$E2" = 0; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+# Solaris must use the xpg4 version of grep
+PATH=/usr/xpg4/bin:$PATH
+
 show_help(){
 cat <<EOF
 Usage: configure [options]
@@ -2688,7 +2691,7 @@ EOF
 check_cc <<EOF || die "endian test failed"
 unsigned int endian = 'B' << 24 | 'I' << 16 | 'G' << 8 | 'E';
 EOF
-od -t x1 $TMPO | grep -q '42 *49 *47 *45' && enable bigendian
+/usr/bin/tr -cd "BIGE" < $TMPO | grep -q 'B *I *G *E' && enable bigendian
 
 if enabled alpha; then