diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4d439c62e..c9c39f6bd 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ AX_SET_VERSION_INFO
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([config])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE($PACKAGE,$VERSION)
+m4_ifndef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [m4_define([AM_SILENT_RULES],[])])
 AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])
 
 AC_PROG_CXX