diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 63b4681743..d34bc5920c 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 
 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = foreign
 
+## make sure rebuilding uses the right aclocal-switches
+ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4
+
 API_SUBDIRS = api lib apps zip
 
 if ENABLE_SERVER
diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index f341ff6787..41499fd22f 100755
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -21300,3 +21300,9 @@ David  14 Dec 2004
 
     api/
         graphics_impl.C
+
+Reinhard Prix 2004-12-15
+    - Make sure that when --enable-maintainer-mode is used, automatic
+      re-configuration will find the proper macro-definitions in m4.
+
+    Makefile.am