diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ae4ea3bd..b2fe1e9b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ AC_CANONICAL_BUILD
 AC_CANONICAL_HOST
 AC_CANONICAL_TARGET
 
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([subdir-objects])
 
 dnl Linux kernel KBuild style compile messages
 m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])])