diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3ea598355..e8a4701c1 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ esac
 
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
 
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign 1.9 tar-ustar])
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign 1.9 tar-pax])
 m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES])
 
 AC_PROG_CC_C99