diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e1d28cc8c25d854ad00635022ed56d7c342be00a..ef61976c1c29ccf06c7f166e69932e5b92d38500 100755
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -131,8 +131,8 @@ fi
 
 # eliminate any /usr/lib and and /usr/include from $BOOST_LIB and $BOOST_INCLUDE
 
-BOOST_LDFLAGS=$(echo "$BOOST_LDFLAGS" | sed -e 's/-L\/usr\/lib64//g' | sed -e 's/-L\/usr\/lib//g')
-BOOST_CPPFLAGS=$(echo "$BOOST_CPPFLAGS" | sed -e 's/-I\/usr\/include//g')
+BOOST_LDFLAGS=$(echo "$BOOST_LDFLAGS" | sed -e 's/ -L\/usr\/lib64[ \b]//g' | sed -e 's/ -L\/usr\/lib[ \b]//g')
+BOOST_CPPFLAGS=$(echo "$BOOST_CPPFLAGS" | sed -e 's/-I\/usr\/include[ \b]//g')
 
 AC_SUBST(BOOST_LDFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(BOOST_CPPFLAGS)