diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 960101673..ed69a9ff5 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR(GUILE-VERSION)
 
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([gnu no-define -Wall -Wno-override])
-m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])])
+m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])], [AC_SUBST([AM_DEFAULT_VERBOSITY],1)])
 
 AC_COPYRIGHT(GUILE_CONFIGURE_COPYRIGHT)
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([GUILE-VERSION])