diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index ede235d49..e3e1978b4 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # Makefile.am
 
+ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I config
+
 SUBDIRS = src test etc scripts doc
 DIST_SUBDIRS = config src test etc scripts doc
 EXTRA_DIST = autogen.sh lxc.spec CONTRIBUTING MAINTAINERS ChangeLog
diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index 0e0595c87..e2e473b63 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@ set -x
 
 test -d autom4te.cache && rm -rf autom4te.cache
 test -d m4 || mkdir m4
-ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS="-I m4 -I config $ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS"
 libtoolize --force --copy
-aclocal $ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS || exit 1
+aclocal -I m4 -I config || exit 1
 autoheader || exit 1
 autoconf || exit 1
 automake --add-missing --copy || exit 1