diff --git a/INSTALL.GIT.md b/INSTALL.GIT.md
index f883bc628e..4cf6825fd2 100644
--- a/INSTALL.GIT.md
+++ b/INSTALL.GIT.md
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ You need Leptonica 1.74.2 (minimum) for Tesseract 4.0x.
 
 Known dependencies for training tools (excluding leptonica):
  * compiler with c++11 support
- * autoconf-archive
  * automake
  * pkg-config
  * pango-devel
diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index 8a790d0f24..e90cf4d452 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -113,13 +113,6 @@ automake --add-missing --copy --warnings=all || bail_out
 echo "Running autoconf"
 autoconf || bail_out
 
-if grep -q AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG configure; then
-  # The generated configure is invalid because autoconf-archive is unavailable.
-  rm configure
-  echo "Missing autoconf-archive. Check the build requirements."
-  bail_out
-fi
-
 if grep -q PKG_CHECK_MODULES configure; then
   # The generated configure is invalid because pkg-config is unavailable.
   rm configure
diff --git a/m4/ax_check_compile_flag.m4 b/m4/ax_check_compile_flag.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bd753b34d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m4/ax_check_compile_flag.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+# ===========================================================================
+#  https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_check_compile_flag.html
+# ===========================================================================
+#
+# SYNOPSIS
+#
+#   AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG(FLAG, [ACTION-SUCCESS], [ACTION-FAILURE], [EXTRA-FLAGS], [INPUT])
+#
+# DESCRIPTION
+#
+#   Check whether the given FLAG works with the current language's compiler
+#   or gives an error.  (Warnings, however, are ignored)
+#
+#   ACTION-SUCCESS/ACTION-FAILURE are shell commands to execute on
+#   success/failure.
+#
+#   If EXTRA-FLAGS is defined, it is added to the current language's default
+#   flags (e.g. CFLAGS) when the check is done.  The check is thus made with
+#   the flags: "CFLAGS EXTRA-FLAGS FLAG".  This can for example be used to
+#   force the compiler to issue an error when a bad flag is given.
+#
+#   INPUT gives an alternative input source to AC_COMPILE_IFELSE.
+#
+#   NOTE: Implementation based on AX_CFLAGS_GCC_OPTION. Please keep this
+#   macro in sync with AX_CHECK_{PREPROC,LINK}_FLAG.
+#
+# LICENSE
+#
+#   Copyright (c) 2008 Guido U. Draheim <guidod@gmx.de>
+#   Copyright (c) 2011 Maarten Bosmans <mkbosmans@gmail.com>
+#
+#   Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification, are
+#   permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright notice
+#   and this notice are preserved.  This file is offered as-is, without any
+#   warranty.
+
+#serial 6
+
+AC_DEFUN([AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG],
+[AC_PREREQ(2.64)dnl for _AC_LANG_PREFIX and AS_VAR_IF
+AS_VAR_PUSHDEF([CACHEVAR],[ax_cv_check_[]_AC_LANG_ABBREV[]flags_$4_$1])dnl
+AC_CACHE_CHECK([whether _AC_LANG compiler accepts $1], CACHEVAR, [
+  ax_check_save_flags=$[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS
+  _AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS="$[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS $4 $1"
+  AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([m4_default([$5],[AC_LANG_PROGRAM()])],
+    [AS_VAR_SET(CACHEVAR,[yes])],
+    [AS_VAR_SET(CACHEVAR,[no])])
+  _AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS=$ax_check_save_flags])
+AS_VAR_IF(CACHEVAR,yes,
+  [m4_default([$2], :)],
+  [m4_default([$3], :)])
+AS_VAR_POPDEF([CACHEVAR])dnl
+])dnl AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAGS
diff --git a/m4/ax_split_version.m4 b/m4/ax_split_version.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2176eb0a98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m4/ax_split_version.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# ===========================================================================
+#     https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_split_version.html
+# ===========================================================================
+#
+# SYNOPSIS
+#
+#   AX_SPLIT_VERSION
+#
+# DESCRIPTION
+#
+#   Splits a version number in the format MAJOR.MINOR.POINT into its
+#   separate components.
+#
+#   Sets the variables.
+#
+# LICENSE
+#
+#   Copyright (c) 2008 Tom Howard <tomhoward@users.sf.net>
+#
+#   Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification, are
+#   permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright notice
+#   and this notice are preserved. This file is offered as-is, without any
+#   warranty.
+
+#serial 10
+
+AC_DEFUN([AX_SPLIT_VERSION],[
+    AC_REQUIRE([AC_PROG_SED])
+    AX_MAJOR_VERSION=`echo "$VERSION" | $SED 's/\([[^.]][[^.]]*\).*/\1/'`
+    AX_MINOR_VERSION=`echo "$VERSION" | $SED 's/[[^.]][[^.]]*.\([[^.]][[^.]]*\).*/\1/'`
+    AX_POINT_VERSION=`echo "$VERSION" | $SED 's/[[^.]][[^.]]*.[[^.]][[^.]]*.\(.*\)/\1/'`
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING([Major version])
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([$AX_MAJOR_VERSION])
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING([Minor version])
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([$AX_MINOR_VERSION])
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING([Point version])
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([$AX_POINT_VERSION])
+])
diff --git a/snap/snapcraft.yaml b/snap/snapcraft.yaml
index c4792d7859..8be7d82f6a 100644
--- a/snap/snapcraft.yaml
+++ b/snap/snapcraft.yaml
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ parts:
     source: .
     plugin: autotools
     build-packages:
-      - autoconf-archive
       - pkg-config
       - libpng12-dev
       - libjpeg8-dev