diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 83e3ddf90..1036638a9 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ save_program_prefix="${program_prefix}"
 AC_CANONICAL_TARGET
 program_prefix="${save_program_prefix}"
 
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.11])
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.11 tar-ustar])
 AC_PREREQ(2.64)
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([include/grub/dl.h])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config-util.h])