diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index de1fb5eca3b425beaf94b1703fc618c2be21150b..2a4b315425fbb94894a5e85453331220bb9652f1 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -9,10 +9,6 @@ if BUILD_DOCS
 #SUBDIRS += doc
 endif
 
-# don't follow the full GNU-standard
-# we need automake 1.5
-AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = foreign 1.5
-
 # pass most important options when "make distcheck" is used
 DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS = --with-dune-common=$(DUNE_COMMON_ROOT) --with-dune-fufem=$(DUNE_FUFEM_ROOT) --with-dune-tnnmg=$(DUNE_TNNMG_ROOT)  CXX="$(CXX)" CC="$(CC)"