diff --git a/package/matchbox-startup-monitor/matchbox-startup-monitor.mk b/package/matchbox-startup-monitor/matchbox-startup-monitor.mk
index c80e75332c..cd2ae4162f 100644
--- a/package/matchbox-startup-monitor/matchbox-startup-monitor.mk
+++ b/package/matchbox-startup-monitor/matchbox-startup-monitor.mk
@@ -11,4 +11,9 @@ MATCHBOX_STARTUP_MONITOR_LICENSE = GPL-2.0+
 MATCHBOX_STARTUP_MONITOR_LICENSE_FILES = COPYING
 MATCHBOX_STARTUP_MONITOR_DEPENDENCIES = matchbox-lib startup-notification
 
+# Obsolete constructs in the archaic configure.ac generated an outworn
+# configure script that incorrectly searches a C++ compiler. Regenerate
+# the autoconf machinery to avoid failures without a C++ compiler.
+MATCHBOX_STARTUP_MONITOR_AUTORECONF = YES
+
 $(eval $(autotools-package))