diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f00c6956f..42d0bd052 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -28,11 +28,7 @@ AC_INIT([aMule-dlp], [2.3.3-dlp], [admin@amule.org])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
 m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES])
 
-AC_PREREQ(2.62)
-
-# autoconf 2.70 introduced some incompatibilities that will make the build fail
-# As a "workaround" reject 2.70 and above for now.
-m4_if(m4_version_compare(m4_defn([AC_AUTOCONF_VERSION]), [2.70]), [-1],, [m4_fatal([autoconf ]m4_defn([AC_AUTOCONF_VERSION])[ is known to not work with aMule. Please use 2.69 instead.])])
+AC_PREREQ(2.59)
 
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([src/amule.cpp])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])