diff --git a/aclocal.m4 b/aclocal.m4
index 58ad2cc5..2cf4da1f 100644
--- a/aclocal.m4
+++ b/aclocal.m4
@@ -141,3 +141,22 @@ AC_DEFUN([BIRD_CHECK_PROG_FLAVOR_GNU],
   )
   esac
 ])
+
+AC_DEFUN([BIRD_CHECK_BISON_VERSION],
+[
+  $1=`bison --version | ( read line; echo ${line##* } )`
+  case "$$1" in
+    1.* | 2.0* | 2.1* | 2.2* | 2.3*)
+      AC_MSG_ERROR([Provided Bison version $$1 is too old, need at least 2.4])
+      ;;
+    2.*)
+      bird_bison_synclines=no
+      ;;
+    3.* | 4.* | 5.* | 6.* | 7.* | 8.* | 9.*)
+      bird_bison_synclines=yes
+      ;;
+    *)
+      AC_MSG_ERROR([Couldn't parse Bison version $$1. Call the developers for help.])
+      ;;
+  esac
+])
diff --git a/conf/Makefile b/conf/Makefile
index cd78c821..0eee95ec 100644
--- a/conf/Makefile
+++ b/conf/Makefile
@@ -11,19 +11,17 @@ BISON_DEBUG=-t
 #FLEX_DEBUG=-d
 endif
 
-cf-parse.tab.h: cf-parse.tab.c
-
 cf-parse.tab.c: cf-parse.y
 	$(BISON) -bcf-parse -dv -pcf_ $(BISON_DEBUG) cf-parse.y
 
 cf-parse.y: $(conf-fragments) $(conf-src)/gen_parser.m4
-	$(M4) -P $(conf-src)/gen_parser.m4 $(conf-fragments) >cf-parse.y
+	$(M4) $(M4FLAGS) -P $(conf-src)/gen_parser.m4 $(conf-fragments) >cf-parse.y
 
 keywords.h: $(conf-fragments) $(conf-src)/gen_keywords.m4
-	$(M4) -P $(conf-src)/gen_keywords.m4 $(conf-fragments) >keywords.h
+	$(M4) $(M4FLAGS) -P $(conf-src)/gen_keywords.m4 $(conf-fragments) >keywords.h
 
 commands.h: $(conf-fragments) $(conf-src)/gen_commands.m4 $(srcdir)/client/cmds.m4
-	$(M4) -P $(conf-src)/gen_commands.m4 $(srcdir)/client/cmds.m4 $(conf-fragments) | sort >commands.h
+	$(M4) $(M4FLAGS) -P $(conf-src)/gen_commands.m4 $(srcdir)/client/cmds.m4 $(conf-fragments) | sort >commands.h
 
 cf-lex.c: cf-lex.l
 	$(FLEX) $(FLEX_DEBUG) -s -B -8 -ocf-lex.c -Pcf_ cf-lex.l
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 44382e4f..750d7449 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -178,6 +178,15 @@ test -z "$FLEX"	 && AC_MSG_ERROR([Flex is missing.])
 test -z "$BISON" && AC_MSG_ERROR([Bison is missing.])
 test -z "$M4"	 && AC_MSG_ERROR([M4 is missing.])
 
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([bison version])
+BIRD_CHECK_BISON_VERSION(BISON_VERSION)
+AC_MSG_RESULT([$BISON_VERSION])
+if test "$bird_bison_synclines" = yes; then
+  M4FLAGS="$M4FLAGS -s"
+fi
+
+AC_SUBST([M4FLAGS])
+
 BIRD_CHECK_PROG_FLAVOR_GNU([$M4],
   [],
   [AC_MSG_ERROR([Provided M4 is not GNU M4.])]
diff --git a/tools/Rules.in b/tools/Rules.in
index f00c85d1..92c61615 100644
--- a/tools/Rules.in
+++ b/tools/Rules.in
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ clean-dirs:=$(all-dirs) proto sysdep
 CPPFLAGS=-I$(root-rel) -I$(srcdir) @CPPFLAGS@
 CFLAGS=$(CPPFLAGS) @CFLAGS@
 LDFLAGS=@LDFLAGS@
+M4FLAGS=@M4FLAGS@
 LIBS=@LIBS@
 CLIENT_LIBS=@CLIENT_LIBS@
 CC=@CC@