diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e575a0c8..eef34db2 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 AM_MAINTAINER_MODE
 m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])])
 
+AX_REQUIRE_DEFINED([AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX_11])
+
 CARES_CHECK_OPTION_DEBUG
 CARES_CHECK_OPTION_OPTIMIZE
 CARES_CHECK_OPTION_WARNINGS
diff --git a/test/configure.ac b/test/configure.ac
index 577ce5c5..9ed28dae 100644
--- a/test/configure.ac
+++ b/test/configure.ac
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([../m4])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([no-define])
 m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])])
 
+AX_REQUIRE_DEFINED([AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX_11])
+AX_REQUIRE_DEFINED([AX_PTHREAD])
+
 dnl Checks for programs.
 AC_PROG_CXX
 AX_CXX_COMPILE_STDCXX_11([noext],[mandatory])