diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index cc4e8b0..6482d54 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -77,6 +77,14 @@ AS_IF([test "x$GIT_CHECK" = xyes],
       [AC_SUBST([git_version_long], `set -e | git describe --abbrev=7 --dirty 2>/dev/null || echo 'NO-GIT-REVISION'`, [long version for git source])],
       [AC_SUBST([git_version_long], [NO-GIT-REVISION])])
 
+AC_CHECK_PROG(UNAME_CHECK,uname,yes)
+AS_IF([test "x$UNAME_CHECK" = xyes],
+      [AC_SUBST([uname_m], `set -e | uname -m`, [uname -m])],
+      [AC_MSG_ERROR([uname -m errored?])])
+
+AS_IF([test "x$UNAME_CHECK" = xyes],
+      [AC_SUBST([uname_s], `set -e | uname -s`, [uname -s])],
+      [AC_MSG_ERROR([uname -s errored?])])
 
 # Define rosdir and rospatchdir
 # TODO: Make these ./configure line options.
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index d42314c..ee58daa 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ tsv_sbcl_CFLAGS = "-D ROSWELL_TSV_TEST"
 gend.h: FORCE
 	printf '#define ROS_COMPILE_ENVIRONMENT "%s"\n' "`$(CC) --version|head -n 1`" > $@.tmp
 	printf '#define ROS_REVISION "@git_version@"\n' >> $@.tmp
+	printf '#define UNAME_M "@uname_m@"\n' >> $@.tmp
+	printf '#define UNAME_S "@uname_s@"\n' >> $@.tmp
 	printf '#define PATCH_PATH "@roslisppatchdir@"\n' >> $@.tmp
 if WITH_WINDOWS
 	printf '#define LISP_PATH "%s"\n' "`mkdir -p @roslispdir@;cd @roslispdir@; pwd -W 2>/dev/null`" >> $@.tmp
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@ endif
 	rm -f $@.tmp
 
 cmd-internal.o: gend.h
+util.o: gend.h
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = ros
 ros_SOURCES = main.c opt.c download.c download_windows.c archive.c archive_windows.c \
diff --git a/src/util.c b/src/util.c
index 397247f..87affe6 100644
--- a/src/util.c
+++ b/src/util.c
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 #include "util.h"
+#include "gend.h"
 
 #ifndef HAVE_WINDOWS_H
 
 char* uname_s(void) {
-  char *p,*p2;
-  p2=remove_char("\r\n",p=system_("uname"));
-  s(p);
+  char *p2=q(UNAME_S);
   if(strcmp(p2,"SunOS")==0) {
     s(p2);
     return q("solaris");
@@ -14,10 +13,7 @@ char* uname_s(void) {
 }
 
 char* uname_m(void) {
-  char *p=system_("uname -m");
-  char *p2;
-  p2=remove_char("\r\n",p);
-  s(p);
+  char *p2=q(UNAME_M);
   if(strcmp(p2,"i86pc")==0) {
     s(p2);
     return q("x86-64");