diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e7152623..320e482e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])])
 
 # Check for programs
 AC_PROG_CC
+AC_PROG_CC_C99
+
+if test "x$ac_cv_prog_cc_c99" = xno; then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([Building libdrm requires C99 enabled compiler])
+fi
 
 AC_USE_SYSTEM_EXTENSIONS
 AC_SYS_LARGEFILE
diff --git a/intel/Makefile.am b/intel/Makefile.am
index de3baab9..d0045684 100644
--- a/intel/Makefile.am
+++ b/intel/Makefile.am
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ libdrm_intel_la_LIBADD = ../libdrm.la \
 
 libdrm_intel_la_SOURCES = $(LIBDRM_INTEL_FILES)
 
-intel_bufmgr_gem_o_CFLAGS = $(AM_CFLAGS) -c99
-
 libdrm_intelincludedir = ${includedir}/libdrm
 libdrm_intelinclude_HEADERS = $(LIBDRM_INTEL_H_FILES)