diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b629f5c3d..dc4ef5681 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1636,6 +1636,10 @@ pkgdatadir="$datadir/$PACKAGE_TARNAME"
 sitedir="$pkgdatadir/site/$GUILE_EFFECTIVE_VERSION"
 AC_SUBST([sitedir])
 
+dnl Name of the `guile' program.
+guile_program_name="`echo guile | "$SED" "$program_transform_name"`"
+AC_SUBST([guile_program_name])
+
 # Additional SCM_I_GSC definitions are above.
 AC_SUBST([SCM_I_GSC_GUILE_DEBUG])
 AC_SUBST([SCM_I_GSC_ENABLE_DEPRECATED])
diff --git a/meta/guild.in b/meta/guild.in
index 17edf6019..183323f75 100755
--- a/meta/guild.in
+++ b/meta/guild.in
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # -*- scheme -*-
-exec guile $GUILE_FLAGS -e '(@@ (guild) main)' -s "$0" "$@"
+prefix="@prefix@"
+exec_prefix="@exec_prefix@"
+exec ${GUILE:-@bindir@/@guile_program_name@} $GUILE_FLAGS -e '(@@ (guild) main)' -s "$0" "$@"
 !#
 
 ;;;; guild --- running scripts bundled with Guile
diff --git a/meta/uninstalled-env.in b/meta/uninstalled-env.in
index 4faad641b..2276b4aed 100644
--- a/meta/uninstalled-env.in
+++ b/meta/uninstalled-env.in
@@ -136,4 +136,8 @@ if test "x${top_srcdir}" != "x${top_builddir}"; then
 fi
 export PATH
 
+# Define $GUILE, used by `guild'.
+GUILE="${top_builddir}/meta/guile"
+export GUILE
+
 exec "$@"