diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 644b283d..f646a0d0 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ AC_CANONICAL_HOST
 # Set up the compiler in two different ways and say yes we may want to install.
 AC_PROG_CC
 AM_PROG_CC_C_O
+AC_PROG_MKDIR_P
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 
 # Default tmux.conf goes in /etc not ${prefix}/etc.