diff --git a/libraries/libapparmor/configure.ac b/libraries/libapparmor/configure.ac
index 46c47957f..de577bd59 100644
--- a/libraries/libapparmor/configure.ac
+++ b/libraries/libapparmor/configure.ac
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ if test "$ac_cv_prog_cc_c99" = "no"; then
   AC_MSG_ERROR([C99 mode is required to build libapparmor])
 fi
 
+m4_ifndef([AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG], [AC_MSG_ERROR(['autoconf-archive' missing])])
 EXTRA_CFLAGS="-Wall $(EXTRA_WARNINGS) -fPIC"
 AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG([-flto-partition=none], , , [-Werror])
 AS_VAR_IF([ax_cv_check_cflags__Werror__flto_partition_none], [yes],