diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9db776854..984996703 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
 
 AC_CANONICAL_HOST
 AC_PROG_CC
-AM_PROG_AR
+m4_ifdef([AM_PROG_AR], [AM_PROG_AR])
 AM_PROG_LEX
 AC_EXEEXT
 LT_INIT