diff --git a/bootstrap b/bootstrap
index e778aeb6..6a5b10fb 100755
--- a/bootstrap
+++ b/bootstrap
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ sh() {
   /bin/sh -c "set -x; $*"
 }
 
-export WANT_AUTOMAKE=1.7
+export WANT_AUTOMAKE=1.9
 
 sh autopoint --force || exit 1 # for GNU gettext
 sh libtoolize --copy --force --automake || exit 1