diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c0fbfe94135..4bb89607e2d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ dnl other CC/CXX flags related help
 AC_ARG_VAR([CXX11_CXXFLAGS], [Compiler flag to enable C++11 support (only needed if not
                               enabled by default and different  from -std=c++11)])
 AM_PROG_CC_C_O
+AC_PROG_GREP
 AC_PROG_NM
 AM_PROG_AS
 AX_CHECK_GNU_MAKE