diff --git a/build-aux/Makefile.in b/build-aux/Makefile.in
index 415a8df305..9ccbec7b1b 100644
--- a/build-aux/Makefile.in
+++ b/build-aux/Makefile.in
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ FLAKE8 = @flake8_path@
 RUNUTF8 = @runutf8@
 PYTHON = @PYTHON3@
 GREP = @GREP@
+SED = @SED@
 
 # include syntax-check.mk file
 include $(top_srcdir)/build-aux/syntax-check.mk
diff --git a/build-aux/meson.build b/build-aux/meson.build
index c56a348946..fe88d6b736 100644
--- a/build-aux/meson.build
+++ b/build-aux/meson.build
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@ syntax_check_conf.set('PYTHON3', python3_prog.path())
 
 if host_machine.system() == 'freebsd'
   make_prog = find_program('gmake')
+  sed_prog = find_program('gsed')
 else
   make_prog = find_program('make')
+  sed_prog = find_program('sed')
 endif
 
 if host_machine.system() == 'freebsd'
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ else
 endif
 
 syntax_check_conf.set('GREP', grep_prog.path())
+syntax_check_conf.set('SED', sed_prog.path())
 
 configure_file(
   input: 'Makefile.in',
diff --git a/build-aux/syntax-check.mk b/build-aux/syntax-check.mk
index 51a498a897..7f4a23c048 100644
--- a/build-aux/syntax-check.mk
+++ b/build-aux/syntax-check.mk
@@ -27,15 +27,6 @@ ME := build-aux/syntax-check.mk
 # of the module description. But some packages import this file directly,
 # ignoring the module description.
 AWK ?= awk
-# FreeBSD (and probably some other OSes too) ships own version of sed(1), not
-# compatible with the GNU sed. GNU sed is available as gsed(1), so use this
-# instead
-UNAME := $(shell uname)
-ifeq ($(UNAME),FreeBSD)
-SED ?= gsed
-else
-SED ?= sed
-endif
 
 # Helper variables.
 _empty =