diff --git a/meta/packages/m4/m4-native_1.4.12.bb b/meta/packages/m4/m4-native_1.4.12.bb
index 64442292e0..74fa3c865a 100644
--- a/meta/packages/m4/m4-native_1.4.12.bb
+++ b/meta/packages/m4/m4-native_1.4.12.bb
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 require m4_${PV}.bb
 inherit native
 
+PR = "r1"
+
+SRC_URI_append = " file://ac_config_links.patch;patch=1"
+
 INHIBIT_AUTOTOOLS_DEPS = "1"
 DEPENDS += "gnu-config-native"
 
diff --git a/meta/packages/m4/m4/ac_config_links.patch b/meta/packages/m4/m4/ac_config_links.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..22103876e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta/packages/m4/m4/ac_config_links.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+This patch fixes a build problem for m4-native experienced on Ubuntu 9.10,
+where autoconf/automake (AC_CONFIG_LINKS) ends up making GNUmakefile a
+symlink to itself.
+
+The patch comments out ac_config_links directly in configure,
+as autoreconf is not actually run for m4-native.
+
+I believe it should be safe, as GNUmakefile is actually unpacked from
+source, and what we want is to is to not touch it.
+
+Tested on x86_64_linux (Ubuntu 8.04 and 9.10).
+
+2009-11-10	Esben Haabendal	    <eha@doredevelopment.dk>
+
+diff -urN m4-1.4.13.orig/configure m4-1.4.13/configure
+--- m4-1.4.13.orig/configure	2009-11-10 10:54:00.301707097 +0100
++++ m4-1.4.13/configure	2009-11-10 10:54:17.314206379 +0100
+@@ -14860,8 +14860,8 @@
+   # only, it does not matter if we skip the link with older autoconf.
+   # Automake 1.10.1 and earlier try to remove GNUmakefile in non-VPATH
+   # builds, so use a shell variable to bypass this.
+-  GNUmakefile=GNUmakefile
+-  ac_config_links="$ac_config_links $GNUmakefile:$GNUmakefile"
++ # GNUmakefile=GNUmakefile
++ # ac_config_links="$ac_config_links $GNUmakefile:$GNUmakefile"
+ 
+ 
+