diff --git a/configure/E3/CONFIG_EXPORT b/configure/E3/CONFIG_EXPORT
index c13635d63c10de6a2643f0bb9688f6bd4dd99336..b79f0a3da00b2eb6edcb064402ca652f1546f859 100644
--- a/configure/E3/CONFIG_EXPORT
+++ b/configure/E3/CONFIG_EXPORT
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Variables should be transferred to module_name.makefile
 
-EPICS_HOST_ARCH:=$(-shell $(EPICS_BASE)/startup/EpicsHostArch.pl)
+EPICS_HOST_ARCH:=$(shell perl $(EPICS_BASE)/startup/EpicsHostArch.pl)
+
 # In near future, BASE may drop "startup" directory, so
 #
 ifeq ($(strip $(EPICS_HOST_ARCH)),)