diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index 9afad8f9d5..a119b099cb 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ if test -d .git || test -f .git; then
             dry_run=2
         else
             echo "Running bootstrap..."
-            ./bootstrap$no_git --bootstrap-sync || {
+            ./bootstrap$no_git || {
                 die "bootstrap failed"
             }
             gnulib_hash >"$state_file"
diff --git a/bootstrap.conf b/bootstrap.conf
index b4020ab8ad..13dd239fd1 100644
--- a/bootstrap.conf
+++ b/bootstrap.conf
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ SKIP_PO=true
 
 copy=true
 
+bootstrap_sync=true
+
 
 # Tell gnulib to:
 #   require LGPLv2+