diff --git a/acinclude/ac_check_define.m4 b/acinclude/ac_check_define.m4
index 64de801f1..f8c900fbc 100644
--- a/acinclude/ac_check_define.m4
+++ b/acinclude/ac_check_define.m4
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-AC_DEFUN([AC_CHECK_DEFINE],[dnl
+AC_DEFUN([AC_CHECK_DEFINE],[AC_REQUIRE([AC_PROG_CPP])dnl
   AC_CACHE_CHECK(for $1 in $2, ac_cv_define_$1,
     AC_EGREP_CPP([YES_IS_DEFINED], [
 #include <$2>