diff --git a/.bzrignore b/.bzrignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c0085a50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.bzrignore
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# generic autoconf excludes
+Makefile
+Makefile.in
+/aclocal.m4
+/autom4te.cache
+/config.log
+/config.status
+/configure
+/install-sh
+/missing
+
+# generated from .in
+/etc/profile.d/Z97-byobu.sh
+/usr/bin/byobu
+/usr/bin/byobu-config
+/usr/bin/byobu-ctrl-a
+/usr/bin/byobu-disable
+/usr/bin/byobu-disable-prompt
+/usr/bin/byobu-enable
+/usr/bin/byobu-enable-prompt
+/usr/bin/byobu-export
+/usr/bin/byobu-janitor
+/usr/bin/byobu-launch
+/usr/bin/byobu-launcher
+/usr/bin/byobu-launcher-install
+/usr/bin/byobu-launcher-uninstall
+/usr/bin/byobu-layout
+/usr/bin/byobu-prompt
+/usr/bin/byobu-quiet
+/usr/bin/byobu-reconnect-sockets
+/usr/bin/byobu-select-backend
+/usr/bin/byobu-select-profile
+/usr/bin/byobu-select-session
+/usr/bin/byobu-shell
+/usr/bin/byobu-silent
+/usr/bin/byobu-status
+/usr/bin/byobu-status-detail
+/usr/bin/byobu-ugraph
+/usr/bin/byobu-ulevel
+/usr/lib/byobu/include/config.py
+/usr/lib/byobu/include/dirs
+/usr/lib/byobu/include/toggle-utf8
+/usr/share/byobu/tests/byobu-time-notifications
+
+# produced tarballs
+/byobu-*.tar.gz
diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..b246f05d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+autoreconf -fiv
+
+cat << EOF
+The byobu build system is now prepared.
+
+To build here, run:
+  ./configure
+  make
+EOF
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6ba40abc..552239d8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 # Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
 
 AC_PREREQ([2.61])
-AC_INIT(byobu, 3.0, http://byobu.org)
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(byobu, 3.0)
+AC_INIT([byobu], [5.121], [http://byobu.org])
+AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([usr/bin/byobu.in])
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign])
 AC_PROG_LN_S
 
 # Checks for programs.
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index b7d94f90..394fe525 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,8 +1,16 @@
 byobu (5.121) unreleased; urgency=medium
 
+  [ Dustin Kirkland ]
   * usr/bin/wifi-status:
     - timestamp the pings
 
+  [ Elan Ruusamäe ]
+  * autogen.sh, .bzrignore, configure.ac:
+    - modernize autoconf, add .bzrignore
+    - my intent is to add autogen.sh as next step as seems you currently
+      produce release tarballs manually, so it contains random unneeded
+      crap like autom4te.cache
+
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Mon, 05 Jun 2017 11:44:03 -0500
 
 byobu (5.120-0ubuntu1) artful; urgency=medium