diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 15aedf7..c49cb60 100755
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([.])
 
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.11 tar-ustar])
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.13 tar-ustar])
 PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG
 
 AC_ARG_VAR([PY_PREFIX], [Prefix for installing Python modules.
diff --git a/doc/install/README.md b/doc/install/README.md
index 75e4127..8f69510 100644
--- a/doc/install/README.md
+++ b/doc/install/README.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 ## Requirements for building from source
 * GNU build tools: 
     * autoconf 2.65
-    * automake 1.9
+    * automake 1.13
     * libtool 1.5.24
 * pkg-config autoconf macros (pkg.m4)
 * lex and yacc (developed primarily with flex and bison)
diff --git a/doc/install/debian.md b/doc/install/debian.md
index 78dc626..3e3d74f 100644
--- a/doc/install/debian.md
+++ b/doc/install/debian.md
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@
 
 Then install the Java JDK of your choice. Type **javac** to see a list of available packages, pick the one you prefer and **apt-get install** it.
 
-Debian Lenny Users need some packages from backports
-	
-	sudo apt-get -t lenny-backports install automake libboost-test-dev
+Debian stable users need to manually install a more recent automake version:
+
+    wget http://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/main/a/automake-1.14/automake_1.14.1-3_all.deb
+    sudo dpkg -i automake_1.14.1-3_all.deb
 
 ## Optional packages
 
diff --git a/lib/c_glib/Makefile.am b/lib/c_glib/Makefile.am
index 39e848a..86d4884 100755
--- a/lib/c_glib/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/c_glib/Makefile.am
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 #
-.NOTPARALLEL:
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = serial-tests
 SUBDIRS = . test
 
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
diff --git a/lib/c_glib/test/Makefile.am b/lib/c_glib/test/Makefile.am
index 72d0f64..c8d2393 100755
--- a/lib/c_glib/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/c_glib/test/Makefile.am
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 #
-.NOTPARALLEL:
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = serial-tests
+
 SUBDIRS =
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -g -Wall -I../src $(GLIB_CFLAGS)
diff --git a/lib/cpp/Makefile.am b/lib/cpp/Makefile.am
index 668af0a..5206db8 100755
--- a/lib/cpp/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/cpp/Makefile.am
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects
+
 moc_%.cpp: %.h
 	$(QT_MOC) $(QT_CFLAGS) $< -o $@
 
diff --git a/lib/cpp/test/Makefile.am b/lib/cpp/test/Makefile.am
index f15b0c1..4d61e37 100755
--- a/lib/cpp/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/cpp/test/Makefile.am
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 #
-.NOTPARALLEL:
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects serial-tests
+
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libtestgencpp.la libprocessortest.la
 nodist_libtestgencpp_la_SOURCES = \
 	gen-cpp/DebugProtoTest_types.cpp \
diff --git a/lib/lua/Makefile.am b/lib/lua/Makefile.am
index 364a25d..16170d4 100644
--- a/lib/lua/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/lua/Makefile.am
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects
+
 SUBDIRS = .
 
 lib_LTLIBRARIES = \
@@ -60,4 +62,4 @@
 		TProtocol.lua \
 		TServer.lua \
 		TSocket.lua \
-		TTransport.lua
\ No newline at end of file
+		TTransport.lua
diff --git a/lib/py/Makefile.am b/lib/py/Makefile.am
index a504b5c..adb90f3 100755
--- a/lib/py/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/py/Makefile.am
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 #
-.NOTPARALLEL:
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = serial-tests
 DESTDIR ?= /
 
 all-local:
diff --git a/test/c_glib/Makefile.am b/test/c_glib/Makefile.am
index de23cb9..252edb9 100755
--- a/test/c_glib/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/c_glib/Makefile.am
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 #
-.NOTPARALLEL:
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects serial-tests
+
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libtestcglib.la
 nodist_libtestcglib_la_SOURCES = \
 	gen-c_glib/t_test_second_service.c \
diff --git a/test/cpp/Makefile.am b/test/cpp/Makefile.am
index 3cf31a3..51380ab 100755
--- a/test/cpp/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/cpp/Makefile.am
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 #
-.NOTPARALLEL:
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects serial-tests
+
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libtestgencpp.la libstresstestgencpp.la
 nodist_libtestgencpp_la_SOURCES = \
 	gen-cpp/ThriftTest_constants.cpp \
diff --git a/test/py/Makefile.am b/test/py/Makefile.am
index 6b31769..2fe9b5a 100755
--- a/test/py/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/py/Makefile.am
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 #
-.NOTPARALLEL:
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = serial-tests
+
 THRIFT = $(top_srcdir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
 
 py_unit_tests = RunClientServer.py
diff --git a/tutorial/c_glib/Makefile.am b/tutorial/c_glib/Makefile.am
index 24075dd..3772984 100755
--- a/tutorial/c_glib/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/c_glib/Makefile.am
@@ -16,15 +16,14 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 #
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects serial-tests
 
-AM_CFLAGS = -g -Wall -Wextra $(GLIB_CFLAGS) $(GOBJECT_CFLAGS) @GCOV_CFLAGS@
+AM_CFLAGS = -g -Wall -Wextra -pedantic $(GLIB_CFLAGS) $(GOBJECT_CFLAGS) @GCOV_CFLAGS@
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/lib/c_glib/src -Igen-c_glib
 AM_LDFLAGS = $(GLIB_LIBS) $(GOBJECT_LIBS) @GCOV_LDFLAGS@
 
 THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
 
-
-.NOTPARALLEL:
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = \
 	libtutorialgencglib.la
 
diff --git a/tutorial/cpp/Makefile.am b/tutorial/cpp/Makefile.am
index bcc7654..e895b03 100755
--- a/tutorial/cpp/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/cpp/Makefile.am
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 #
-.NOTPARALLEL:
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = subdir-objects serial-tests
+
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libtutorialgencpp.la
 nodist_libtutorialgencpp_la_SOURCES = \
 	gen-cpp/Calculator.cpp \