diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 48f82427..18df2b0e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -80,12 +80,16 @@ if test "x$enable_coverage" = xno && test "x$enable_debug" = xno && test "x$enab
 	FLAGS="$FLAGS -O3 -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2"
 fi
 
+# check if assembler can generate missing build notes, binutils >= 2.31 or older with backport is needed
+AX_CHECK_COMPILE_FLAG([-Wa,--generate-missing-build-notes=yes], [ICA_ASFLAGS="-Wa,--generate-missing-build-notes=yes"])
+
 # restore cmdline flags (ignore PROG_AS/PROG_CC defaults)
 CFLAGS="$cmdline_CFLAGS"
 CCASFLAGS="$cmdline_CFLAGS"
 
 AC_SUBST([FLAGS], $FLAGS)
 AC_SUBST([LIBS], $LIBS)
+AC_SUBST([ICA_ASFLAGS], $ICA_ASFLAGS)
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile doc/Makefile include/Makefile src/Makefile test/Makefile])
 AC_OUTPUT
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index c7cecf6e..0f70cfd8 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ lib_LTLIBRARIES = libica.la
 
 libica_la_CFLAGS = ${AM_CFLAGS} -I${srcdir}/include -I${srcdir}/../include \
 		   -fvisibility=hidden
-libica_la_CCASFLAGS = ${AM_CFLAGS}
+libica_la_CCASFLAGS = ${AM_CFLAGS} @ICA_ASFLAGS@
 libica_la_LIBADD = @LIBS@ -lrt -lcrypto
 libica_la_LDFLAGS = -Wl,--version-script=${srcdir}/../libica.map \
 		    -version-number ${VERSION}