diff --git a/configure b/configure
index e28176191b..50353926fd 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -51912,7 +51912,7 @@ then :
 printf "%s\n" "$as_me: WARNING: --enable/disable-forward-declare-enums is now deprecated" >&2;}
 fi
 
-$enablefwdenums=yes
+enablefwdenums=yes
 
 # --------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/m4/libmesh_core_features.m4 b/m4/libmesh_core_features.m4
index c8b6bfa2f8..bf3f02d20f 100644
--- a/m4/libmesh_core_features.m4
+++ b/m4/libmesh_core_features.m4
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(forward-declare-enums,
 AS_IF([test "$enablefwdenums" != irrelevant],
       [AC_MSG_WARN([--enable/disable-forward-declare-enums is now deprecated])])
 
-$enablefwdenums=yes
+enablefwdenums=yes
 AC_SUBST(enablefwdenums)
 # --------------------------------------------------------------