diff --git a/Makefile.objs b/Makefile.objs
index abd867a0cb..d1f3e5dae5 100644
--- a/Makefile.objs
+++ b/Makefile.objs
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ trace-dtrace.lo: trace-dtrace.dtrace
 	@echo "missing libtool. please install and rerun configure."; exit 1
 else
 trace-dtrace.lo: trace-dtrace.dtrace
-	$(call quiet-command,libtool --mode=compile --tag=CC dtrace -o $@ -G -s $<, "  lt GEN trace-dtrace.o")
+	$(call quiet-command,$(LIBTOOL) --mode=compile --tag=CC dtrace -o $@ -G -s $<, "  lt GEN trace-dtrace.o")
 endif
 
 simpletrace.o: simpletrace.c $(GENERATED_HEADERS)
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 234a4c5036..1340c33ef8 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ cc="${CC-${cross_prefix}gcc}"
 ar="${AR-${cross_prefix}ar}"
 objcopy="${OBJCOPY-${cross_prefix}objcopy}"
 ld="${LD-${cross_prefix}ld}"
+libtool="${LIBTOOL-${cross_prefix}libtool}"
 strip="${STRIP-${cross_prefix}strip}"
 windres="${WINDRES-${cross_prefix}windres}"
 pkg_config="${PKG_CONFIG-${cross_prefix}pkg-config}"
@@ -1342,10 +1343,8 @@ fi
 ##########################################
 # libtool probe
 
-if ! has libtool; then
+if ! has $libtool; then
     libtool=
-else
-    libtool=libtool
 fi
 
 ##########################################
diff --git a/libcacard/Makefile b/libcacard/Makefile
index 17013884e1..b3f5e6c011 100644
--- a/libcacard/Makefile
+++ b/libcacard/Makefile
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ install-libcacard:
 	@echo "libtool is missing, please install and rerun configure"; exit 1
 else
 libcacard.la: $(libcacard.lib-y) $(QEMU_OBJS_LIB)
-	$(call quiet-command,libtool --mode=link --quiet --tag=CC $(CC) -rpath $(libdir) -o $@ $^ $(libcacard_libs) -lrt,"  lt LINK $@")
+	$(call quiet-command,$(LIBTOOL) --mode=link --quiet --tag=CC $(CC) -rpath $(libdir) -o $@ $^ $(libcacard_libs) -lrt,"  lt LINK $@")
 
 libcacard.pc: $(libcacard_srcpath)/libcacard.pc.in
 	sed -e 's|@LIBDIR@|$(libdir)|' \
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ install-libcacard: libcacard.pc libcacard.la vscclient
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) "$(DESTDIR)$(libdir)/pkgconfig"
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) "$(DESTDIR)$(libcacard_includedir)"
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)"
-	libtool --mode=install $(INSTALL_PROG) vscclient "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)"
-	libtool --mode=install $(INSTALL_PROG) libcacard.la "$(DESTDIR)$(libdir)"
-	libtool --mode=install $(INSTALL_DATA) libcacard.pc "$(DESTDIR)$(libdir)/pkgconfig"
+	$(LIBTOOL) --mode=install $(INSTALL_PROG) vscclient "$(DESTDIR)$(bindir)"
+	$(LIBTOOL) --mode=install $(INSTALL_PROG) libcacard.la "$(DESTDIR)$(libdir)"
+	$(LIBTOOL) --mode=install $(INSTALL_DATA) libcacard.pc "$(DESTDIR)$(libdir)/pkgconfig"
 	for inc in *.h; do \
-		libtool --mode=install $(INSTALL_DATA) $(libcacard_srcpath)/$$inc "$(DESTDIR)$(libcacard_includedir)"; \
+		$(LIBTOOL) --mode=install $(INSTALL_DATA) $(libcacard_srcpath)/$$inc "$(DESTDIR)$(libcacard_includedir)"; \
 	done
 endif
diff --git a/rules.mak b/rules.mak
index 1a2622cd39..884d421ae4 100644
--- a/rules.mak
+++ b/rules.mak
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ ifeq ($(LIBTOOL),)
 	@echo "missing libtool. please install and rerun configure"; exit 1
 else
 %.lo: %.c
-	$(call quiet-command,libtool --mode=compile --quiet --tag=CC $(CC) $(QEMU_INCLUDES) $(QEMU_CFLAGS) $(QEMU_DGFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<,"  lt CC $@")
+	$(call quiet-command,$(LIBTOOL) --mode=compile --quiet --tag=CC $(CC) $(QEMU_INCLUDES) $(QEMU_CFLAGS) $(QEMU_DGFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<,"  lt CC $@")
 endif
 
 %.o: %.S