diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 548cc68..a7e4952 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ LT_INIT
 
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign dist-bzip2 no-dist-gzip 1.9])
 
+CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -std=gnu11"
+
 dnl kernel style compile messages
 m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])])