diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 682e31f51..1675d493f 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ dnl
 define(GUILE_CONFIGURE_COPYRIGHT,[[
 
 Copyright (C) 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,
-  2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+  2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
 This file is part of GUILE
 
@@ -42,7 +42,11 @@ AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([build-aux])
 AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR(GUILE-VERSION)
 
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([gnu no-define check-news -Wall -Wno-override])
+dnl Use `serial-tests' so the output `check-guile' is not hidden
+dnl (`parallel-tests' is the default in Automake 1.13.)
+dnl `serial-tests' was introduced in Automake 1.12.
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.12 gnu no-define check-news -Wall -Wno-override \
+  serial-tests color-tests])
 
 AC_COPYRIGHT(GUILE_CONFIGURE_COPYRIGHT)
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([GUILE-VERSION])