diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 588744e33..b44dd7501 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.11.1 gnits dist-bzip2 no-dist-gzip -Wall no-define color-tes
 AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])
 
 # Initialize libtool
-AM_PROG_AR
+m4_ifdef([AM_PROG_AR], [AM_PROG_AR])
 LT_PREREQ([2.2])
 LT_INIT([disable-static])