diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 66cb67733d..f3b5cd2b18 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ SUBDIRS = . gnulib/lib include src daemon tools docs gnulib/tests \
   examples/dominfo examples/domsuspend examples/python examples/apparmor \
   examples/xml/nwfilter examples/openauth examples/systemtap
 
-ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4 -I gnulib/m4
+ACLOCAL_AMFLAGS = -I m4
 
 XML_EXAMPLES = \
   $(patsubst $(srcdir)/%,%,$(wildcard $(addprefix $(srcdir)/examples/xml/, \
diff --git a/bootstrap.conf b/bootstrap.conf
index 68c4a890c5..8b3721741a 100644
--- a/bootstrap.conf
+++ b/bootstrap.conf
@@ -175,11 +175,11 @@ fi
 # Tell gnulib to:
 #   require LGPLv2+
 #   apply any local diffs in gnulib/local/ dir
-#   put *.m4 files in new gnulib/m4/ dir
+#   put *.m4 files in m4/ dir
 #   put *.[ch] files in new gnulib/lib/ dir
 #   import gnulib tests in new gnulib/tests/ dir
 gnulib_name=libgnu
-m4_base=gnulib/m4
+m4_base=m4
 source_base=gnulib/lib
 tests_base=gnulib/tests
 gnulib_tool_option_extras="\
@@ -191,11 +191,6 @@ gnulib_tool_option_extras="\
 "
 local_gl_dir=gnulib/local
 
-# Convince bootstrap to use multiple m4 directories.
-: ${ACLOCAL=aclocal}
-ACLOCAL="$ACLOCAL -I m4"
-export ACLOCAL
-
 # Build prerequisites
 # Note that some of these programs are only required for 'make dist' to
 # succeed from a fresh git checkout; not all of these programs are