diff --git a/config/prte_configure_options.m4 b/config/prte_configure_options.m4
index 8880ff85ad..519e9a6d6e 100644
--- a/config/prte_configure_options.m4
+++ b/config/prte_configure_options.m4
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([PRTE_WANT_PRTE_PREFIX_BY_DEFAULT],
 # Is this a developer copy?
 #
 
-if test -d .git; then
+if git describe 350564b9f381dfbdbe119f26585f07da6f4b9e8a &> /dev/null ; then
     PRTE_DEVEL=1
 else
     PRTE_DEVEL=0