diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 8e342de354..fb1e49ca53 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -33,8 +33,9 @@ dnl which are the versions where subdir-objects can beused.
 dnl see: https://www.mail-archive.com/lyx-devel@lists.lyx.org/msg181023.html
 m4_define([LYX_OBJECTS_LAYOUT], m4_ifdef([_AM_PROG_CC_C_O],[subdir-objects],))
 # Automake is pulling the historical V7 format. This tar format supports
-# file names only up to 99 characters. tar-pax has no character limit.
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign dist-bzip2 no-define 1.8 tar-pax] LYX_OBJECTS_LAYOUT)
+# file names only up to 99 characters. tar-ustar selects the ustar format defined
+# by POSIX 1003.1-1988. This format is believed to be old enough to be portable.
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign dist-bzip2 no-define 1.8 tar-ustar] LYX_OBJECTS_LAYOUT)
 m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES],[AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])])
 PACKAGE=$save_PACKAGE