diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index dd79e4da..e5a86114 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -44,11 +44,16 @@ dnl the 'host' machine is where the resulting stuff runs.
 
 dnl Checks for programs.
 AM_PROG_CC_C_O
-AC_PROG_SED
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 AC_PROG_LN_S
 # AC_PROG_MKDIR_P - $(MKDIR_P) should be defined by AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
 
+# AC_PROG_SED is only available in Autoconf >= 2.59b; workaround for older
+# versions
+ifdef([AC_PROG_SED], [AC_PROG_SED], [
+AC_CHECK_PROGS(SED, [gsed sed])
+])
+
 AC_PROG_GCC_TRADITIONAL
 
 # We need to test for at least gcc 2.95 here, because older versions don't