diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
index 272da8f1e..9196064cc 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 # the same distribution terms as the rest of that program.
 #
 # Generated by gnulib-tool.
-# Reproduce by: gnulib-tool --import --dir=. --lib=libgnu --source-base=lib --m4-base=m4 --doc-base=doc --aux-dir=build-aux --lgpl --libtool --macro-prefix=gl alloca count-one-bits extensions strcase strftime
+# Reproduce by: gnulib-tool --import --dir=. --lib=libgnu --source-base=lib --m4-base=m4 --doc-base=doc --aux-dir=build-aux --lgpl --libtool --macro-prefix=gl alloca autobuild count-one-bits extensions strcase strftime
 
 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = 1.5 gnits
 
diff --git a/m4/.cvsignore b/m4/.cvsignore
index 50f1b259d..4c6ac1f8d 100644
--- a/m4/.cvsignore
+++ b/m4/.cvsignore
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ tm_gmtoff.m4
 wchar.m4
 count-one-bits.m4
 inline.m4
+autobuild.m4
diff --git a/m4/autobuild.m4 b/m4/autobuild.m4
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a025e7379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m4/autobuild.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# autobuild.m4 serial 7
+dnl Copyright (C) 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+dnl This file is free software; the Free Software Foundation
+dnl gives unlimited permission to copy and/or distribute it,
+dnl with or without modifications, as long as this notice is preserved.
+
+dnl From Simon Josefsson
+
+# Usage: AB_INIT([MODE]).
+AC_DEFUN([AB_INIT],
+[
+  AC_REQUIRE([AC_CANONICAL_BUILD])
+  AC_REQUIRE([AC_CANONICAL_HOST])
+
+  if test -z "$AB_PACKAGE"; then
+    AB_PACKAGE=${PACKAGE_NAME:-$PACKAGE}
+  fi
+  AC_MSG_NOTICE([autobuild project... $AB_PACKAGE])
+
+  if test -z "$AB_VERSION"; then
+    AB_VERSION=${PACKAGE_VERSION:-$VERSION}
+  fi
+  AC_MSG_NOTICE([autobuild revision... $AB_VERSION])
+
+  hostname=`hostname`
+  if test "$hostname"; then
+    AC_MSG_NOTICE([autobuild hostname... $hostname])
+  fi
+
+  ifelse([$1],[],,[AC_MSG_NOTICE([autobuild mode... $1])])
+
+  date=`TZ=UTC0 date +%Y%m%dT%H%M%SZ`
+  if test "$?" != 0; then
+    date=`date`
+  fi
+  if test "$date"; then
+    AC_MSG_NOTICE([autobuild timestamp... $date])
+  fi
+])
diff --git a/m4/gnulib-cache.m4 b/m4/gnulib-cache.m4
index 1c0308109..ac9319a89 100644
--- a/m4/gnulib-cache.m4
+++ b/m4/gnulib-cache.m4
@@ -15,12 +15,13 @@
 
 
 # Specification in the form of a command-line invocation:
-#   gnulib-tool --import --dir=. --lib=libgnu --source-base=lib --m4-base=m4 --doc-base=doc --aux-dir=build-aux --lgpl --libtool --macro-prefix=gl alloca count-one-bits extensions strcase strftime
+#   gnulib-tool --import --dir=. --lib=libgnu --source-base=lib --m4-base=m4 --doc-base=doc --aux-dir=build-aux --lgpl --libtool --macro-prefix=gl alloca autobuild count-one-bits extensions strcase strftime
 
 # Specification in the form of a few gnulib-tool.m4 macro invocations:
 gl_LOCAL_DIR([])
 gl_MODULES([
   alloca
+  autobuild
   count-one-bits
   extensions
   strcase
diff --git a/m4/gnulib-comp.m4 b/m4/gnulib-comp.m4
index cc9923d90..14f312bc7 100644
--- a/m4/gnulib-comp.m4
+++ b/m4/gnulib-comp.m4
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([gl_EARLY],
   m4_pattern_allow([^gl_LIBOBJS$])dnl a variable
   m4_pattern_allow([^gl_LTLIBOBJS$])dnl a variable
   AC_REQUIRE([AC_PROG_RANLIB])
+  AB_INIT
   AC_REQUIRE([gl_USE_SYSTEM_EXTENSIONS])
 ])
 
@@ -199,6 +200,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([gl_FILE_LIST], [
   lib/verify.h
   lib/wchar.in.h
   m4/alloca.m4
+  m4/autobuild.m4
   m4/count-one-bits.m4
   m4/extensions.m4
   m4/gnulib-common.m4