diff --git a/imake.c b/imake.c
index c20cd4a..ec2589b 100644
--- a/imake.c
+++ b/imake.c
@@ -959,7 +959,7 @@ get_libc_version(FILE *inFile)
 {
   char aout[4096], *tmpdir;
   FILE *fp;
-  const char *format = "%s -o %s -x c -";
+  const char *format = "f=$(mktemp imakeXXXXXX.c); cat > $f; %s $f -o %s";
   char *cc;
   int len;
   char *command;