diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 2512d3c95..c45254e80 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([build-aux])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign 1.11 -Wall -Wno-portability subdir-objects silent-rules color-tests dist-xz tar-ustar])
 
+AM_MAINTAINER_MODE([enable])
+
 AS_IF([! test -n "$VERSION"], [
    AC_MSG_ERROR([git-version-gen failed])
 ])