diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index cf31cfebc..b629f5c3d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([build-aux])
 AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR(GUILE-VERSION)
 
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([gnu no-define -Wall -Wno-override])
+dnl `AM_SUBST_NOTMAKE' was introduced in Automake 1.11.
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.11 gnu no-define -Wall -Wno-override dist-xz])
 m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])], [AC_SUBST([AM_DEFAULT_VERBOSITY],1)])
 
 AC_COPYRIGHT(GUILE_CONFIGURE_COPYRIGHT)