diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 459fab1..15eb998 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 dnl Dependencies
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBMNL], [libmnl >= 1.0.0])
 
+dnl include release helper
+RELMAKE='-include osmo-release.mk'
+AC_SUBST([RELMAKE])
+
 AC_PROG_CC
 AM_PROG_CC_C_O
 AC_EXEEXT