diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 699dd9f5..c6d7e775 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ doc/control.svg
 /src/slicot_src/*.f
 /target
 
+# HOME artifacts from `make check-local` (devel/compose.yaml sets HOME=/workspace)
+/.local
+/.config
+
 # release checklists
 
 devel/release/release_*.md
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 62a9f7c1..291b21a8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -149,10 +149,11 @@ $(RELEASE_DIR_CI): .git/index
 	@-$(RM) -r $@
 	@mkdir -p $@
 	@echo "  git archive ..."
-	@REV=$$(GIT_CONFIG_COUNT=1 GIT_CONFIG_KEY_0=safe.directory GIT_CONFIG_VALUE_0="$(abspath .)" \
-	  git stash create); \
-	GIT_CONFIG_COUNT=1 GIT_CONFIG_KEY_0=safe.directory GIT_CONFIG_VALUE_0="$(abspath .)" \
-	  git archive -o $@/tmp.tar $${REV:-HEAD}
+	@GIT_HOME=$$(mktemp -d); \
+	HOME=$$GIT_HOME git config --global --add safe.directory "$(abspath .)"; \
+	REV=$$(HOME=$$GIT_HOME git stash create); \
+	HOME=$$GIT_HOME git archive -o $@/tmp.tar $${REV:-HEAD}; \
+	$(RM) -r $$GIT_HOME
 	@cd $@ && tar -xf tmp.tar && $(RM) tmp.tar
 	$(COPY_SLICOT_AND_BOOTSTRAP)
 
diff --git a/devel/compose.yaml b/devel/compose.yaml
index 4e376cdb..2ee719fb 100644
--- a/devel/compose.yaml
+++ b/devel/compose.yaml
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ services:
     image: gnuoctave/octave:latest
     working_dir: /workspace
     user: "${HOST_UID:?set HOST_UID or run via make check-local, not docker compose directly}:${HOST_GID:?set HOST_GID or run via make check-local, not docker compose directly}"
+    environment:
+      HOME: /workspace
     volumes:
       - .:/workspace:z
     command: make check-ci
diff --git a/src/configure.ac b/src/configure.ac
index 5b711bf9..f01712ec 100644
--- a/src/configure.ac
+++ b/src/configure.ac
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #                                               -*- Autoconf -*-
 # Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
 
-AC_PREREQ([2.71])
+AC_PREREQ([2.69])
 AC_INIT([control],[4.2.2+])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([sl_ab01od.cc])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
 # Octave.
 AH_TOP([#include "undef-ah-octave.h"])
 
-AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIRS([m4])
+AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 
 # Checks for programs.
 AC_CHECK_PROG(MKOCTFILE, mkoctfile, mkoctfile)