diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 2c29633a6a9..eeb3f4bbd7d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -3226,31 +3226,6 @@ to configure.])
    fi
 fi
 
-# Configure gnulib.
-#
-# Do this after any CC or CFLAGS changes that affect Gnulib,
-# and before any tests that depend on gnulib tests,
-# e.g., the system_malloc=no test below.
-#
-# Do not affect CFLAGS or LIBS permanently.
-# Instead, temporarily revert them to their pre-pkg-config values,
-# because gnulib needs to work with both src (which uses the
-# pkg-config stuff) and lib-src (which does not).  For example, gnulib
-# may need to determine whether CLOCK_TIME_LIB should contain -lrt,
-# and it therefore needs to run in an environment where LIBS does not
-# already contain -lrt merely because 'pkg-config --libs' printed '-lrt'
-# for some package unrelated to lib-src.
-SAVE_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
-SAVE_LIBS=$LIBS
-CFLAGS=$pre_PKG_CONFIG_CFLAGS
-LIBS="$LIB_PTHREAD $pre_PKG_CONFIG_LIBS"
-gl_ASSERT_NO_GNULIB_POSIXCHECK
-gl_ASSERT_NO_GNULIB_TESTS
-gl_EEMALLOC
-gl_INIT
-CFLAGS=$SAVE_CFLAGS
-LIBS=$SAVE_LIBS
-
 # Does the opsystem file prohibit the use of the GNU malloc?
 # Assume not, until told otherwise.
 GNU_MALLOC=yes
@@ -3302,6 +3277,15 @@ if test "$emacs_cv_struct_alignment" = yes; then
      structure to an N-byte boundary.])
 fi
 
+# Check for alignas now rather than waiting for gl_INIT to do it,
+# as the system_malloc=no test below needs $gl_cv_header_working_stdalign_h.
+# Do not simply call gl_INIT here, as the ac_cv_func_pthread_sigmask=yes
+# assignment below affects how gl_INIT works.
+# Instead, call gl_ALIGNASOF, the only part of gl_INIT needed here.
+# Then make gl_ALIGNASOF a no-op so gl_INIT does not duplicate its code.
+gl_ALIGNASOF
+AC_DEFUN([gl_ALIGNASOF])
+
 system_malloc=yes
 
 # If it appears as if the system malloc can't be trusted to return
@@ -7384,6 +7368,25 @@ if test "$with_features" = no && test "$enable_acl" != yes; then
   enable_acl=no
 fi
 
+# Configure gnulib.  Although this does not affect CFLAGS or LIBS permanently,
+# it temporarily reverts them to their pre-pkg-config values,
+# because gnulib needs to work with both src (which uses the
+# pkg-config stuff) and lib-src (which does not).  For example, gnulib
+# may need to determine whether CLOCK_TIME_LIB should contain -lrt,
+# and it therefore needs to run in an environment where LIBS does not
+# already contain -lrt merely because 'pkg-config --libs' printed '-lrt'
+# for some package unrelated to lib-src.
+SAVE_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
+SAVE_LIBS=$LIBS
+CFLAGS=$pre_PKG_CONFIG_CFLAGS
+LIBS="$LIB_PTHREAD $pre_PKG_CONFIG_LIBS"
+gl_ASSERT_NO_GNULIB_POSIXCHECK
+gl_ASSERT_NO_GNULIB_TESTS
+gl_EEMALLOC
+gl_INIT
+CFLAGS=$SAVE_CFLAGS
+LIBS=$SAVE_LIBS
+
 # Set up libgmp on Android.  Make sure to override what gnulib has
 # found.
 LIBGMP_CFLAGS=