diff --git a/m4/jm-macros.m4 b/m4/jm-macros.m4
index 4f4007841..48f62b59a 100644
--- a/m4/jm-macros.m4
+++ b/m4/jm-macros.m4
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#serial 57   -*- autoconf -*-
+#serial 58   -*- autoconf -*-
 
 dnl Misc type-related macros for fileutils, sh-utils, textutils.
 
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([jm_MACROS],
   AC_FUNC_OBSTACK
 
   AC_FUNC_STRTOD
+  AC_REQUIRE([UTILS_SYS_OPEN_MAX])
 
   # See if linking `seq' requires -lm.
   # It does on nearly every system.  The single exception (so far) is