diff --git a/wx-config-inplace.in b/wx-config-inplace.in
index 06b0742631..1ffb80da62 100644
--- a/wx-config-inplace.in
+++ b/wx-config-inplace.in
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # Name:        wx-config-inplace
 # Purpose:     wx configuration in tree search and query tool
 # Author:      Ron <ron@debian.org>
-# Modified by: VZ on 2005-09-21 to actually work with Bourne shell
+# Modified by:
 # Created:     14/9/2004
 # RCS-ID:      $Id$
 # Copyright:   (c) 2004 Ron <ron@debian.org>
@@ -21,10 +21,13 @@ check_dirname()
         printf "             no longer exists.\n\n" 1>&2
         exit 1
     fi
+    ( cd $1 && pwd )
 }
 
-check_dirname "@abs_top_srcdir@"
-check_dirname "@abs_top_builddir@"
+# set the variables which allow the real wx-config to check if we're using it
+# in place or after installation
+this_prefix=`check_dirname "@abs_top_srcdir@"`
+this_exec_prefix=`check_dirname "@abs_top_builddir@"`
 
-. "@abs_top_builddir@/lib/wx/config/@TOOLCHAIN_FULLNAME@"
+. "$this_exec_prefix/lib/wx/config/@TOOLCHAIN_FULLNAME@"