diff --git a/autoconf/configure.ac b/autoconf/configure.ac
index 19e18b2c1bf..6073f4fc78b 100644
--- a/autoconf/configure.ac
+++ b/autoconf/configure.ac
@@ -311,9 +311,14 @@ dnl Location of the purify program
 AC_ARG_WITH(purify,AC_HELP_STRING([--with-purify],[Location of purify program]),AC_SUBST(PURIFY,[$withval]))
 
 dnl Location for placing object files and built programs, libraries, etc
-if test -d /localhome
+if test ${USER}
 then
-	AC_SUBST(OBJROOT,[/localhome/$USER])
+	if test -d /localhome/${USER}
+	then
+		AC_SUBST(OBJROOT,[/localhome/${USER}])
+	else
+		AC_SUBST(OBJROOT,[.])
+	fi
 else
 	AC_SUBST(OBJROOT,[.])
 fi
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index ec697bec0ee..af7852c9a0c 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -22079,10 +22079,16 @@ if test "${with_purify+set}" = set; then
 
 fi;
 
-if test -d /localhome
+if test ${USER}
 then
-	OBJROOT=/localhome/$USER
+	if test -d /localhome/${USER}
+	then
+		OBJROOT=/localhome/${USER}
 
+	else
+		OBJROOT=.
+
+	fi
 else
 	OBJROOT=.