diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 2ffe6c19a..79f153ea8 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -38,4 +38,6 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
 
 DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS = --disable-scrollkeeper --disable-update-mimedb
 
+GITIGNOREFILES=m4
+
 -include $(top_srcdir)/git.mk