diff --git a/source3/Makefile.in b/source3/Makefile.in
index 4d2845cf6e1..778b1c73fbb 100644
--- a/source3/Makefile.in
+++ b/source3/Makefile.in
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ CFLAGS=@CFLAGS@
 CPPFLAGS=@CPPFLAGS@
 EXEEXT=@EXEEXT@
 LDFLAGS=@LDFLAGS@
+AR=@AR@
 LDSHFLAGS=@LDSHFLAGS@ @LDFLAGS@
 WINBIND_NSS_LDSHFLAGS=@WINBIND_NSS_LDSHFLAGS@ @LDFLAGS@
 AWK=@AWK@
diff --git a/source3/configure.in b/source3/configure.in
index 7bbbb2ab317..394bf2fb3e0 100644
--- a/source3/configure.in
+++ b/source3/configure.in
@@ -206,6 +206,8 @@ AC_PROG_INSTALL
 AC_PROG_AWK
 AC_PATH_PROG(PERL, perl)
 
+AC_CHECK_TOOL(AR, ar)
+
 # compile with optimization and without debugging by default, but
 # allow people to set their own preference.
 if test "x$CFLAGS" = x