diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2020-03-28-10-43-09.bpo-38527.fqCRgD.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2020-03-28-10-43-09.bpo-38527.fqCRgD.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..869693095e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2020-03-28-10-43-09.bpo-38527.fqCRgD.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Fix configure check on Solaris for "float word ordering": sometimes, the correct "grep" command was not being used.
+Patch by Arnon Yaari.
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 893d0e14149..a7a3ac254a9 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -14340,10 +14340,10 @@ _ACEOF
 if ac_fn_c_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
 
 
-if grep noonsees conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
+if $GREP noonsees conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
   ax_cv_c_float_words_bigendian=yes
 fi
-if grep seesnoon conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
+if $GREP seesnoon conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
   if test "$ax_cv_c_float_words_bigendian" = unknown; then
     ax_cv_c_float_words_bigendian=no
   else
diff --git a/m4/ax_c_float_words_bigendian.m4 b/m4/ax_c_float_words_bigendian.m4
index 216b90d8031..746228c2c98 100644
--- a/m4/ax_c_float_words_bigendian.m4
+++ b/m4/ax_c_float_words_bigendian.m4
@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@ double d = 909042349670368103374704789055050114762116927356156320147971208440534
 
 ]])], [
 
-if grep noonsees conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
+if $GREP noonsees conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
   ax_cv_c_float_words_bigendian=yes
 fi
-if grep seesnoon conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
+if $GREP seesnoon conftest.$ac_objext >/dev/null ; then
   if test "$ax_cv_c_float_words_bigendian" = unknown; then
     ax_cv_c_float_words_bigendian=no
   else