diff --git a/gcc/config/i960/i960.h b/gcc/config/i960/i960.h
index 6cce7b1ca83..834a3163593 100644
--- a/gcc/config/i960/i960.h
+++ b/gcc/config/i960/i960.h
@@ -45,9 +45,13 @@ the Free Software Foundation, 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.  */
 		%{!mcc:%{!mcf:-D__i960_KB -D__i960KB__ %{mic*:-D__i960KB}}}}}}}}}"
 
 /* -mic* options make characters signed by default.  */
-#define SIGNED_CHAR_SPEC  \
-  (DEFAULT_SIGNED_CHAR ? "%{funsigned-char:-D__CHAR_UNSIGNED__}"	\
-   : "%{!fsigned-char:%{!mic*:-D__CHAR_UNSIGNED__}}")
+/* Use #if rather than ?: because MIPS C compiler rejects ?: in
+   initializers.  */
+#if DEFAULT_SIGNED_CHAR
+#define SIGNED_CHAR_SPEC "%{funsigned-char:-D__CHAR_UNSIGNED__}"
+#else
+#define SIGNED_CHAR_SPEC "%{!fsigned-char:%{!mic*:-D__CHAR_UNSIGNED__}}"
+#endif
 
 /* Specs for the compiler, to handle processor variations.  */
 #define CC1_SPEC \