diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 4a676f325..730e598d0 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -806,6 +806,7 @@ TEST_SSH_SSHD="$(BUILDDIR)/sshd"
 
 interop-tests t-exec file-tests extra-tests: regress-prep regress-binaries $(TARGETS)
 	cd $(srcdir)/regress || exit $$?; \
+	AWK='@AWK@' \
 	EGREP='@EGREP@' \
 	OPENSSL_BIN='@OPENSSL_BIN@' \
 	$(MAKE) \
diff --git a/regress/test-exec.sh b/regress/test-exec.sh
index 577bc01af..cb9836c98 100644
--- a/regress/test-exec.sh
+++ b/regress/test-exec.sh
@@ -79,6 +79,14 @@ if test "x${EGREP}" != "x"; then
 }
 fi
 
+# Likewise with awk.
+if test "x${AWK}" != "x"; then
+	awk ()
+{
+	${AWK} "$@"
+}
+fi
+
 SRC=`dirname ${SCRIPT}`
 
 # defaults