diff --git a/src/configure b/src/configure
index 450f9c2ca241923e3eb3b4d7960aa232182e8ce1..bf9ce3128cccb7730631c1ec4bb936abd15aeaf5 100755
--- a/src/configure
+++ b/src/configure
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export VERSION_CDFCXX=${VERSION_CDFCXX:-"4.3.1"}
 export VERSION_CDFF=${VERSION_CDFF:-"4.5.3"}
 export VERSION_GRIBAPI=${VERSION_GRIBAPI:-"1.26.0-Source"}
 export VERSION_ECCODES=${VERSION_ECCODES:-"2.18.0"}
-export ECCODES_DEFINITION_PATH=${ECCODES_DEFINITION_PATH:${SRC_MESONH}/src/LIB/eccodes-${VERSION_ECCODES}"/definitions/"}
+export ECCODES_DEFINITION_PATH=${ECCODES_DEFINITION_PATH:-${SRC_MESONH}/src/LIB/eccodes-${VERSION_ECCODES}"/definitions/"}
 export MNH_INT=${MNH_INT:-"4"}
 export LFI_INT=${LFI_INT:-8}
 export MNH_REAL=${MNH_REAL:-"8"}