diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index d5d836aa71..1183b13083 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -175,6 +175,19 @@ if test "$OBJ_DIR"; then
     }
 fi
 
+# Make sure we can find GNU make and tell the user
+# the right command to run
+MAKE=
+for cmd in make gmake; do
+    if $cmd -v 2>&1 | grep -q "GNU Make"; then
+        MAKE=$cmd
+        break
+    fi
+done
+test "$MAKE" || {
+    die "GNU make is required to build libvirt"
+}
+
 if test -z "$*" && test -z "$extra_args" && test -f config.status; then
     echo "Running config.status..."
     ./config.status --recheck || {
@@ -193,4 +206,4 @@ else
 fi
 
 echo
-echo "Now type 'make' to compile libvirt."
+echo "Now type '$MAKE' to compile libvirt."