diff --git a/bootstrap b/bootstrap
index d18442e1c9b9db5799826bf00148c1da73ba99ed..b00be326cdef4a50232194d77d59b87e7487614b 100755
--- a/bootstrap
+++ b/bootstrap
@@ -28,8 +28,12 @@
 #
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+set -e
 set -x
+
 touch ChangeLog
+mkdir -p m4
+
 autoreconf -i
 
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------