diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index c4a2b3f4..ac4e26d8 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 dnl Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
-AC_PREREQ(2.53)
+AC_PREREQ(2.59)
 AC_INIT(src/control/control.c)
 dnl *************************************************
 dnl current:revision:age