diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6b028df..2498a7e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 *~
 .libs
 .deps
+.dirstamp
 autom4te.cache
 config.h
 config.log
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ demo/keyboard.png
 demo/vt100.js
 libtool
 Makefile
+m4/
 shellinabox/beep.h
 shellinabox/cgi_root.h
 shellinabox/enabled.h
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index ce5ac89..611e341 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 AM_CPPFLAGS          =
 AM_CFLAGS            = -g -std=gnu99 -Wall
 AM_LDFLAGS           = -g -lm
+ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS      = -I m4
 
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES   = libhttp.la                                             \
                        liblogging.la
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4c6375e..565c40a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ below. This will create executable file `shellinaboxd` in project directory.
 #### Debian package
 
 For building and installing `.deb` packages you can use commands listed bellow.
+Note that dependencies from the first step above are also required.
 
 1. Build package
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 2054e1f..82f245b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(VCS_REVISION, "${VCS_REVISION}",
 
 dnl Set up autoconf/automake for building C libraries and binaries with GCC
 CFLAGS="${CFLAGS:--Os}"
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([subdir-objects])
 AM_CONFIG_HEADER(config.h)
 AC_PROG_CC
 AC_LANG_WERROR
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
 AC_SUBST(LIBTOOL_DEPS)
 AC_C_CONST
 AC_PROG_GCC_TRADITIONAL
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 
 dnl Check for header files that do not exist on all platforms
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([libutil.h pthread.h pty.h strings.h sys/prctl.h sys/uio.h  \