--- a/dist/configure.ac
+++ b/dist/configure.ac
@@ -385,6 +385,7 @@
         # A classpath that includes . is needed to check for Java
 	CLASSPATH=".:$CLASSPATH"
 	export CLASSPATH
+	AC_JAVA_OPTIONS
 	AC_PROG_JAVAC
 	AC_PROG_JAR
 	AC_PROG_JAVA