diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 95da6bef7..b073d52a1 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -710,32 +710,6 @@ AC_CHECK_MEMBERS([struct clone_args.cgroup],[],[],[[#include <linux/sched.h>]])
 # - STRERROR_R_CHAR_P if it returns char *
 AC_FUNC_STRERROR_R
 
-# Check if "%m" is supported by printf and Co
-AC_MSG_CHECKING([%m format])
-AC_RUN_IFELSE([AC_LANG_SOURCE([[
-#include <stdio.h>
-int main(void)
-{
-  char msg[256];
-  int rc;
-
-  rc = snprintf(msg, sizeof(msg), "%m\n");
-  if ((rc > 1) && (msg[0] != '%'))
-  {
-    return 0;
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    return 1;
-  }
-}]])],[fmt_m=yes],[fmt_m=no],[fmt_m=no])
-if test "x$fmt_m" = "xyes"; then
-	AC_DEFINE([HAVE_M_FORMAT], 1, [Have %m format])
-	AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-else
-	AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-fi
-
 # Check for some functions
 AC_CHECK_LIB(pthread, main)
 AC_CHECK_LIB(util, openpty)
diff --git a/src/lxc/log.h b/src/lxc/log.h
index 8ee5f9862..17fccc14e 100644
--- a/src/lxc/log.h
+++ b/src/lxc/log.h
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ __lxc_unused static inline void LXC_##LEVEL(struct lxc_log_locinfo* locinfo,	\
 	LXC_FATAL(&locinfo, format, ##__VA_ARGS__);			\
 } while (0)
 
-#if HAVE_M_FORMAT && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
+#if defined(__GNU_LIBRARY__) && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
 #define SYSTRACE(format, ...)                              \
 		TRACE("%m - " format, ##__VA_ARGS__)
 #else
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ __lxc_unused static inline void LXC_##LEVEL(struct lxc_log_locinfo* locinfo,	\
 	} while (0)
 #endif
 
-#if HAVE_M_FORMAT && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
+#if defined(__GNU_LIBRARY__) && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
 #define SYSDEBUG(format, ...)                              \
                 DEBUG("%m - " format, ##__VA_ARGS__)
 #else
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ __lxc_unused static inline void LXC_##LEVEL(struct lxc_log_locinfo* locinfo,	\
 #endif
 
 
-#if HAVE_M_FORMAT && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
+#if defined(__GNU_LIBRARY__) && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
 #define SYSINFO(format, ...)                              \
                 INFO("%m - " format, ##__VA_ARGS__)
 #else
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ __lxc_unused static inline void LXC_##LEVEL(struct lxc_log_locinfo* locinfo,	\
 	} while (0)
 #endif
 
-#if HAVE_M_FORMAT && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
+#if defined(__GNU_LIBRARY__) && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
 #define SYSNOTICE(format, ...)                              \
 		NOTICE("%m - " format, ##__VA_ARGS__)
 #else
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ __lxc_unused static inline void LXC_##LEVEL(struct lxc_log_locinfo* locinfo,	\
 	} while (0)
 #endif
 
-#if HAVE_M_FORMAT && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
+#if defined(__GNU_LIBRARY__) && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
 #define SYSWARN(format, ...)                              \
 		WARN("%m - " format, ##__VA_ARGS__)
 #else
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ __lxc_unused static inline void LXC_##LEVEL(struct lxc_log_locinfo* locinfo,	\
 	} while (0)
 #endif
 
-#if HAVE_M_FORMAT && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
+#if defined(__GNU_LIBRARY__) && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
 #define SYSERROR(format, ...)                              \
 		ERROR("%m - " format, ##__VA_ARGS__)
 #else
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ __lxc_unused static inline void LXC_##LEVEL(struct lxc_log_locinfo* locinfo,	\
 	} while (0)
 #endif
 
-#if HAVE_M_FORMAT && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
+#if defined(__GNU_LIBRARY__) && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
 #define CMD_SYSERROR(format, ...)                                             \
 	fprintf(stderr, "%s: %d: %s - %m - " format "\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, \
 		__func__, ##__VA_ARGS__);
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ __lxc_unused static inline void LXC_##LEVEL(struct lxc_log_locinfo* locinfo,	\
 	} while (0)
 #endif
 
-#if HAVE_M_FORMAT && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
+#if defined(__GNU_LIBRARY__) && !ENABLE_COVERITY_BUILD
 #define CMD_SYSINFO(format, ...)                                               \
 	printf("%s: %d: %s - %m - " format "\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, __func__, \
 	       ##__VA_ARGS__);