diff --git a/lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4 b/lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4
index 372ebddf..0a9883a5 100644
--- a/lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4
+++ b/lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4
@@ -1800,7 +1800,8 @@ m4_defun([_AS_VERSION_COMPARE_PREPARE],
     }
     # Beware Solaris 11 /usr/xgp4/bin/awk, which mishandles some
     # comparisons of empty strings to integers.  For example,
-    # LC_ALL=C /usr/xpg4/bin/awk 'BEGIN {if (-1 < "") print "a"}' prints "a".
+    # LC_ALL=C /usr/xpg4/bin/awk "BEGIN {if (-1 < \"\") print \"a\"}"
+    # prints "a".
     if (length(v2)) exit 1
     if (length(v1)) exit 2
   }