diff --git a/macros/ChangeLog b/macros/ChangeLog
index d2e57f7673..3e899bc3f0 100644
--- a/macros/ChangeLog
+++ b/macros/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+Thu Mar 19 23:23:30 1998  Tom Tromey  <tromey@cygnus.com>
+
+	* gnome.m4: An empty true branch of an `if' statement is not valid
+	sh syntax.  If GNOME_INIT_HOOK argument $1 is empty, use ":"
+	instead.
+
 1998-03-19  Miguel de Icaza  <miguel@nuclecu.unam.mx>
 
 	* gnome.m4 (GNOME_INIT_HOOK): Provide a way to hook some code to
diff --git a/macros/gnome.m4 b/macros/gnome.m4
index 283745c111..aa6165fad4 100644
--- a/macros/gnome.m4
+++ b/macros/gnome.m4
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ AC_DEFUN([GNOME_INIT_HOOK],
 	AC_ARG_WITH(gnome,
 	[  --with-gnome            Specify prefix for GNOME files],[
 	if test x$withval = xyes; then
-	    $1
+	    dnl Note that an empty true branch is not valid sh syntax.
+	    ifelse([$1], [], :, [$1])
         else
 	    LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L$withval/lib"
 	    CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -I$withval/include"
@@ -61,4 +62,4 @@ AC_DEFUN([GNOME_INIT_HOOK],
 
 AC_DEFUN([GNOME_INIT],[
 	GNOME_INIT_HOOK([],fail)
-])
\ No newline at end of file
+])