diff --git a/gnu/packages/mail.scm b/gnu/packages/mail.scm
index 8e3b4ef36f79694da972cb167bee9a439d4fec2e..eae01d60c2c6ea9a2bf0a3053e33cf2e0f51501d 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/mail.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/mail.scm
@@ -1937,7 +1937,7 @@ (define-public opensmtpd
        ("groff" ,groff)))
     (arguments
      `(#:configure-flags
-       (list "--with-table-db" "--localstatedir=/var"
+       (list "--with-table-db" "--with-auth-pam" "--localstatedir=/var"
              "--with-user-smtpd=smtpd" "--with-user-queue=smtpq"
              "--with-group-queue=smtpq"
              "--with-path-socket=/var/run" ; not default (./configure lies)