--- texinfo-4.11/util/texi2dvi
+++ texinfo-4.11/util/texi2dvi
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ no_line_error=false  # absolutely do not pass --file-line-error to TeX
 oname=          # --output
 out_lang=dvi
 quiet=false     # by default let the tools' message be displayed
-recode=false
+recode=
 set_language=
 src_specials=
 textra=         # Extra TeX commands to insert in the input file.
@@ -1144,7 +1144,7 @@ run_recode ()
 	:found
 	q'
     encoding=`sed -e "$pgm" "$in_input"`
-    if $recode && test -n "$encoding" && findprog recode; then
+    if test -n "$recode" && test -n "$encoding" && findprog recode; then
       if test -n "$recode_from"; then
 	from=$recode_from
 	to=$encoding
@@ -1157,7 +1157,7 @@ run_recode ()
       work_rcd=$workdir/recode
       in_rcd=$work_rcd/$in_base
       ensure_dir "$work_rcd"
-      if recode "$encoding..$to" <"$in_input" >"$in_rcd" \
+      if "$recode" "$encoding..$to" <"$in_input" >"$in_rcd" \
 	 && test -s "$in_rcd"; then
 	in_input=$in_rcd
       else
@@ -1395,7 +1395,7 @@ while test x"$1" != x"$arg_sep"; do
     -p | --pdf) out_lang=pdf;;
 	 --ps)  out_lang=ps;;
     -q | -s | --quiet | --silent) quiet=true; batch=true;;
-    -r | --recode) recode=true;;
+    -r | --recode) recode=recode;;
     --recode-from) shift; recode=true; recode_from="$1";;
     --src-specials) src_specials=--src-specials;;
     -t | --texinfo | --command ) shift; textra="$textra\\