diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 932809a..487abec 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -47,12 +47,13 @@ AS_IF([test x"$with_tls" != x -a x"$with_tls" != x"no"],[
       tls_support=yes],[tls_support=no])
 
 dnl Set the backup prefix
-AC_ARG_WITH([hash-backup],
-  AS_HELP_STRING([--with-hash-backup],[use # as the backup prefix (default: ,)]))
-AS_IF([test x"$with_hash_backup" != x -a x"$with_hash_backup" != x"no"],
-      [backup_prefix="#"], [backup_prefix=","])
+AC_ARG_WITH([backup-prefix],
+  AS_HELP_STRING([--with-backup-prefix=ARG],[use alternate backup prefix (default w/o switch: ,)]))
+AS_IF([test x"$with_backup_prefix" != x -a x"$with_backup_prefix" != x"no"],
+      [backup_prefix="$with_backup_prefix"],
+      [backup_prefix=","])
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([BACKUP_PREFIX], "$backup_prefix",
-    [The prefix that is prepended to the name of message files when they are "removed" by rmm. This should typically be `,' or `#'.])dnl
+    [The prefix that is prepended to the name of message files when they are "removed" by rmm. This will typically be `,' or `#'.])dnl
 
 dnl What method of posting should post use?
 AC_ARG_WITH([mts],
diff --git a/test/mhbuild/test-forw b/test/mhbuild/test-forw
index 771bec0..9829abe 100755
--- a/test/mhbuild/test-forw
+++ b/test/mhbuild/test-forw
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ EOF
 }
 
 draft="$MH_TEST_DIR/$$.draft"
-draftorig="$MH_TEST_DIR/,$$.draft.orig"
+draftorig="$MH_TEST_DIR/`mhparam sbackup`$$.draft.orig"
 expected="$MH_TEST_DIR/$$.expected"
 actual="$MH_TEST_DIR/$$.actual"
 
diff --git a/test/mhfixmsg/test-mhfixmsg b/test/mhfixmsg/test-mhfixmsg
index d60b9d7..f39d63e 100755
--- a/test/mhfixmsg/test-mhfixmsg
+++ b/test/mhfixmsg/test-mhfixmsg
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ folder last >/dev/null
 run_test 'mhfixmsg' ''
 check "$expected" "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/11 'keep first'
 cp "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/11.original "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/11
-check "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/,11 "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/11.original
+check "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/`mhparam sbackup`11 "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/11.original
 
 
 # check backup with -file
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ cp "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/11 "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/11.original
 folder last >/dev/null
 run_test 'mhfixmsg -file '"$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/11 ''
 check "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/11 "$expected" 'keep first'
-check "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/,11 "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/11.original
+check "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/`mhparam sbackup`11 "$MH_TEST_DIR"/Mail/inbox/11.original
 
 
 # check -reformat (enabled by default):  addition of text/plain part
@@ -1082,7 +1082,7 @@ cp "${MH_TEST_DIR}/Mail/inbox/19" "${MH_TEST_DIR}/Mail/inbox/20"
 
 run_test 'mhfixmsg 19 -normmproc'
 check "${MH_TEST_DIR}/Mail/inbox/20" \
-      "${MH_TEST_DIR}/Mail/inbox/,19" 'keep first'
+      "${MH_TEST_DIR}/Mail/inbox/`mhparam sbackup`19" 'keep first'
 
 
 # check -rmmproc
diff --git a/test/mhparam/test-mhparam b/test/mhparam/test-mhparam
index 89bcb5d..845c86f 100755
--- a/test/mhparam/test-mhparam
+++ b/test/mhparam/test-mhparam
@@ -137,11 +137,11 @@ check $expected $actual
 run_test 'mhparam formatproc rmmproc' ''
 
 #### Test sbackup separately because it's only passed as a -D compile option.
-case `mhparam sbackup` in
-  ,|\#) ;;
-  *   ) echo mhparam sbackup failed
-        failed=`expr ${failed:-0} + 1` ;;
-esac
+#case `mhparam sbackup` in
+#  ,|\#) ;;
+#  *   ) echo mhparam sbackup failed
+#        failed=`expr ${failed:-0} + 1` ;;
+#esac
 
 # check -component
 run_test 'mhparam -component Path' "Path: $MH_TEST_DIR/Mail"
diff --git a/test/refile/test-refile b/test/refile/test-refile
index 645f4f1..5763f30 100755
--- a/test/refile/test-refile
+++ b/test/refile/test-refile
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ run_test 'folders -noheader' \
 other  has 6 messages  (1-12).
 
 TOTAL = 12 messages in 2 folders.'
-if test -f $MH_TEST_DIR/Mail/inbox/,3; then
+if test -f $MH_TEST_DIR/Mail/inbox/`mhparam sbackup`3; then
   echo "$0: refile -unlink failed" 1>&2
   failed=`expr ${failed:-0} + 1`
 fi
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ run_test 'folders -noheader' \
 other  has 7 messages  (1-13).
 
 TOTAL = 12 messages in 2 folders.'
-if test -f $MH_TEST_DIR/Mail/inbox/,2; then
+if test -f $MH_TEST_DIR/Mail/inbox/`mhparam sbackup`2; then
   :
 else
   echo "$0: refile -nounlink failed" 1>&2