diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0fba1e21c2..4988f7163d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -20,4 +20,3 @@ autom4te.cache/
 config.log
 config.mak.autogen
 config.status
-configure
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c3528cbdac..3eaa2a2122 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ clean:
 distclean: docclean
 	-find tools -name "*.pyc" | xargs rm -f
 	-rm -rf build/ node node_g
-	-rm -rf configure config.mak.autogen config.log autom4te.cache config.status
+	-rm -rf configure.real config.mak.autogen config.log autom4te.cache config.status
 
 
 VERSION=$(shell git describe)
diff --git a/configure b/configure
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..65d7a0cf55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/configure
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+autoconf --output configure.real
+sh ./configure.real
+