diff --git a/make-dist b/make-dist
index 949f6eadd48..401d7462fa4 100755
--- a/make-dist
+++ b/make-dist
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ rm -f /tmp/el /tmp/elc
 if [ "x`ls -t configure configure.in | head -1`" != "xconfigure" ]; then
   echo "\`./configure.in' is newer than \`./configure'" >&2
   echo "Running autoconf" >&2
-  autoconf
+  autoconf || { x=$?; echo Autoconf FAILED! >&2; exit $x; }
 fi
 
 ### Update getdate.c.