diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9119964..86cbb00 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ SECRET_AGE=0
 
 AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([build/m4])
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([build])
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.11 tar-ustar foreign -Wno-portability])
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.11 tar-ustar foreign -Wno-portability subdir-objects])
 AM_SANITY_CHECK
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS(config.h)
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([libsecret/secret-value.c])