diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 2c299f55..81e2d124 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ AS_IF([test "$enable_freestanding" = yes], do_enable_freestanding, do_disable_fr
 
 
 
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.9 subdir-objects])
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.16 subdir-objects])
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([
   Makefile