diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7a67efa2ea..252b8f71a2 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([daemon],
 guix_localstatedir="`eval echo $localstatedir | sed -e "s|NONE|/usr/local|g"`"
 AC_SUBST([guix_localstatedir])
 
+dnl We require the pkg.m4 set of macros from pkg-config.
+dnl Make sure it's available.
+m4_pattern_forbid([PKG_CHECK_MODULES])
+
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([GUILE], [guile-2.0 >= 2.0.5])
 AC_PATH_PROG([GUILE], [guile])
 AC_PATH_PROG([GUILD], [guild])