diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 6c14cdb2777e692ce2e62d2c3d82878ccca445a6..480eedcd6f6d96dd5eabb2f0b38c2721bf331400 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -187,15 +187,26 @@ if test "$win32" = "yes" ; then
     network="no"
 fi
 
-# endianness : guess with cpu type. Should also use prefix
-if test "$cpu" = "powerpc"; then
-    bigendian="yes"
-fi
-
 cc="${cross_prefix}${cc}"
 ar="${cross_prefix}${ar}"
 strip="${cross_prefix}${strip}"
 
+# ---
+# big/little endian test
+cat > $TMPC << EOF
+#include <inttypes.h>
+int main(int argc, char ** argv){
+	volatile uint32_t i=0x01234567;
+	return (*((uint8_t*)(&i))) == 0x67;
+}
+EOF
+
+if $cc -o $TMPO $TMPC 2>/dev/null ; then
+$TMPO && bigendian="yes"
+else
+echo big/little test failed
+fi
+
 # ---
 # check availability of some header files