diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 8c30efcfe..8d18fb2a9 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ dnl faketime breaks configure and is only needed for make. Disable it here.
 unset FAKETIME
 
 dnl Automake init set-up and checks
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([no-define subdir-objects foreign])
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([no-define subdir-objects foreign tar-pax])
 
 dnl faketime messes with timestamps and causes configure to be re-run.
 dnl --disable-maintainer-mode can be used to bypass this.