diff --git a/configure b/configure
index e92e96b879b5..0dea5d8b0b68 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -247,6 +247,8 @@ AIX)
   # Unless explicitly enabled, turn off lex.
   if test -z "$disable_lex" ; then
     disable_lex="yes"
+  else
+    force_no_lex_o="yes"
   fi
   ;;
 Darwin)
@@ -1505,6 +1507,9 @@ fi
 
 # Check if lex fails using -o
 if test "$arith" = "yes" ; then
+if test "$force_no_lex_o" = "yes" ; then
+  lex_use_o="no"
+else
 $LEX -o lex.yy.c exp/expression-parser.l 2> /dev/null
 if test "$?" = "0" ; then
   lex_use_o="yes"