diff --git a/changes/tkt6522 b/changes/tkt6522
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..5a8295ae1f7f7e20731e8274db5180f41a6ff47b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/tkt6522
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+  o Build changes:
+    - Where available, we now use automake's "silent" make rules by
+      default, so that warnings are easier to spot.  You can get the
+      old behavior with "make V=1". Patch by Stewart Smith for ticket
+      6522.
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 148edd4d69bab533260f9cbaf1543f7edf3077f7..c107148e799c312ae948f1490e1d6f06be81df4c 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ dnl See LICENSE for licensing information
 
 AC_INIT
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(tor, 0.2.4.0-alpha-dev)
+m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])])
 AM_CONFIG_HEADER(orconfig.h)
 
 AC_CANONICAL_HOST