diff --git a/make-dist b/make-dist
index e671cc0964c..7742f6afcc1 100755
--- a/make-dist
+++ b/make-dist
@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ if [ "${bogosities}" != "" ]; then
 fi
 rm -f /tmp/el /tmp/elc
 
+### Make sure configure is newer than configure.in.
+if [ "x`ls -t configure configure.in | head -1`" != "xconfigure" ]; then
+  echo "`./configure.in' seems to be newer than `./configure.'" >&2
+  echo "Attempting to run autoconf." >&2
+  autoconf
+fi
+
 echo "Creating staging directory: \`${tempparent}'"
 mkdir ${tempparent}
 emacsname="emacs-${version}${new_extension}"