diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 8f33fc9a3e..add59a2382 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ## Process this file with automake to produce Makefile.in
 
-ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4macros
+ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4macros ${ACLOCAL_FLAGS}
 
 SUBDIRS = \
 	m4macros	\