diff --git a/config/nec-superux14.1 b/config/nec-superux14.1
index 09d6e7ad7a..4f435b3d7b 100644
--- a/config/nec-superux14.1
+++ b/config/nec-superux14.1
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ if test "X-" =  "X-$CC"; then
 fi
 # The default archiver is `sxar'
 AR=${AR:-sxar}
-RANLIB=${RANLIB:=" "}
+RANLIB=${RANLIB:=":"}
 
 if test "X-" = "X-$CXX"; then
     CXX="sxc++ -size_t64 -xint -Kexceptions"