diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b6bad01ebe6a835f91a670cc16852c4f41d3cd36..4ef4e43464581d7a850a4bf0b4eed86de4d8a357 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([grid/common/grid.hh])
 # do almost nothing, an application using Dune should provide the
 # checks (use the macro provided in m4/dune.m4 to do this)
 
+# Checks for programs.
+AC_PROG_CXX
+
 # don't build shared libs per default, this is way better for debugging...
 AC_DISABLE_SHARED
 AC_PROG_LIBTOOL