diff --git a/legacy/elementary/m4/efl.m4 b/legacy/elementary/m4/efl.m4
index 5c75ab3a89..e6438a888f 100644
--- a/legacy/elementary/m4/efl.m4
+++ b/legacy/elementary/m4/efl.m4
@@ -57,18 +57,20 @@ case "$TERM" in
       ;;
 esac
 
+### echo compatibility
+
+## the BSD echo does not have the -e option (it is the default behaviour)
+echo_e=
+if test "`echo -e x`" = "x"; then
+   echo_e=-e
+fi
+AC_SUBST([ECHO_E], [${echo_e}])
+
 if test "${want_color}" = "yes"; then
-   if test `echo -e x` = x; then
-      echoopt=-e
-   else
-      echoopt=
-   fi
-
-   COLOR_YES=`echo $echoopt "\033@<:@1;32m"`
-   COLOR_NO=`echo $echoopt "\033@<:@1;31m"`
-   COLOR_OTHER=`echo $echoopt "\033@<:@1;36m"`
-   COLOR_RESET=`echo $echoopt "\033@<:@0m"`
-
+   COLOR_YES=`echo $echo_e "\033@<:@1;32m"`
+   COLOR_NO=`echo $echo_e "\033@<:@1;31m"`
+   COLOR_OTHER=`echo $echo_e "\033@<:@1;36m"`
+   COLOR_RESET=`echo $echo_e "\033@<:@0m"`
 else
    COLOR_YES=""
    COLOR_NO=""