diff --git a/autoconf.mk.in b/autoconf.mk.in
index eb213ff2..ee22bc2c 100644
--- a/autoconf.mk.in
+++ b/autoconf.mk.in
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ LIBS=@LIBS@
 CPPFLAGS=@CPPFLAGS@
 CXX=@CXX@
 CXXFLAGS=@CXXFLAGS@
+AR=@AR@
+RANLIB=@RANLIB@
 GENDEPS=@GENDEPS@
 LIBTOOL=@LIBTOOL@
 DOCBOOKX_DTD=@DOCBOOKX_DTD@
diff --git a/make/gcc-linux.mk b/make/gcc-linux.mk
index d773de4e..e4fdbe02 100644
--- a/make/gcc-linux.mk
+++ b/make/gcc-linux.mk
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ endef
 # Usage: $(call makeslib,objs,library)
 define makeslib
 	$(RM) $2
-	ar cru $(2) $(1)
-	ranlib $(2)
+	$(AR) cru $(2) $(1)
+	$(RANLIB) $(2)
 endef
 
 #                       1    2       3       4        5
diff --git a/make/libtool.mk b/make/libtool.mk
index b9fda1d5..c0e6e52b 100644
--- a/make/libtool.mk
+++ b/make/libtool.mk
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ endef
 # Usage: $(call makeslib,objs,library)
 define makeslib
 	$(RM) $2
-	ar cru $(2) $(1)
-	ranlib $(2)
+	$(AR) cru $(2) $(1)
+	$(RANLIB) $(2)
 endef
 
 #                       1    2       3       4        5
diff --git a/make/mingw.mk b/make/mingw.mk
index 21c3cb56..70f05483 100644
--- a/make/mingw.mk
+++ b/make/mingw.mk
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ libcompile = $(compile)
 # Usage: $(call makeslib,objs,library)
 define makeslib
 	$(RM) $2
-	ar cru $(2) $(1)
-	ranlib $(2)
+	$(AR) cru $(2) $(1)
+	$(RANLIB) $(2)
 endef
 
 #                       1    2       3       4        5