--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ GETTEXT_PACKAGE=dbus-test-runner
 AC_SUBST(GETTEXT_PACKAGE)
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(GETTEXT_PACKAGE, "$GETTEXT_PACKAGE", [Name of the default gettext domain])
 
-AM_GLIB_GNU_GETTEXT
+AM_GNU_GETTEXT([external])
+AM_GNU_GETTEXT_VERSION([0.21])
 
 ###########################
 # gcov coverage reporting