diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7a63cd1b..4acd42d5 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #                                               -*- Autoconf -*-
 # Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
 
-AC_PREREQ([2.65])
+AC_PREREQ([2.61])
 AC_INIT(byobu, 3.0, http://bugs.launchpad.net/byobu)
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(byobu, 3.0)
 
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 93777427..36e1e74b 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 byobu (3.1) unreleased; urgency=low
 
-  * UNRELEASED
+  * configure.ac: drop autoconf version dependency to 2.61, so that we
+    can build on Hardy
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Mon, 02 Aug 2010 22:30:53 -0400