diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ed549df..0926a1c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ AC_CANONICAL_HOST
 
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([-Wall foreign subdir-objects
 	tar-pax no-dist-gzip dist-bzip2 1.6])
+m4_ifdef([AM_PROG_AR], [AM_PROG_AR])
 
 dnl kernel style compile messages
 m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])])