diff --git a/c_check b/c_check
index e8f90e18a0..7173968e5c 100755
--- a/c_check
+++ b/c_check
@@ -35,9 +35,12 @@ if [ "`dirname \"$compiler_name\"`" != '.' ]; then
     cross_suffix="$cross_suffix`dirname \"$compiler_name\"`/"
 fi
 
-bn=`basename $compiler_name`
+bn=`basename \"$compiler_name\"`
+
 case "$bn" in
-    *-*) cross_suffix="$cross_suffix${bn%-*}-"
+    *-*) if [ "$bn" != '-']; then
+           cross_suffix="$cross_suffix${bn%-*}-"
+         fi
 esac
 
 compiler=""