diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 4c8da3ca..4d3bf0ae 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 1999-01-18  Alexandre Oliva  <oliva@dcc.unicamp.br>
 
+	* libtool.m4 (LIBTOOL_DEPS): set it
+	* libltdl/configure.in (LIBTOOL_DEPS): AC_SUBST it
+	* libltdl/Makefile.am (libtool): use it
+	* doc/libtool.texi (AM_PROG_LIBTOOL): document it
+
 	* Makefile.am (libltdl.tar.gz): don't create it as part of the
 	build, since it is likely to become stale if we do
 	(install-data-hook): create and install libltdl.tar.gz, without
diff --git a/doc/libtool.texi b/doc/libtool.texi
index 6d008f74..1be7d068 100644
--- a/doc/libtool.texi
+++ b/doc/libtool.texi
@@ -1607,6 +1607,27 @@ similarly, but it uses @samp{--enable-static} and
 
 The package name @samp{default} matches any packages which have not set
 their name in the @code{PACKAGE} environment variable.
+
+This macro also sets the shell variable @var{LIBTOOL_DEPS}, that you can 
+use to automatically update the libtool script if it becomes
+out-of-date.  In order to do that, add to your @file{configure.in}:
+
+@example
+AM_PROG_LIBTOOL
+AC_SUBST(LIBTOOL_DEPS)
+@end example
+
+and, to @file{Makefile.in} or @file{Makefile.am}:
+
+@example
+LIBTOOL_DEPS = @@LIBTOOL_DEPS@@
+libtool: $(LIBTOOL_DEPS)
+        ./config.status --recheck
+@end example
+
+If you are using GNU automake, you can omit the assignment, as automake
+will take care of it.
+
 @end defmac
 
 @defmac AM_DISABLE_SHARED
diff --git a/libltdl/Makefile.am b/libltdl/Makefile.am
index af310238..110d5d01 100644
--- a/libltdl/Makefile.am
+++ b/libltdl/Makefile.am
@@ -24,3 +24,6 @@ libltdl_la_LIBADD = $(LIBADD_DL)
 libltdlc_la_SOURCES = $(libltdl_la_SOURCES)
 libltdlc_la_LDFLAGS =
 libltdlc_la_LIBADD = $(libltdl_la_LIBADD)
+
+libtool: $(LIBTOOL_DEPS)
+	./config.status --recheck
diff --git a/libltdl/configure.in b/libltdl/configure.in
index 6810d333..b792492d 100644
--- a/libltdl/configure.in
+++ b/libltdl/configure.in
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ AC_SUBST(NOINSTLIBS)
 
 AC_PROG_CC
 AM_PROG_LIBTOOL
+AC_SUBST(LIBTOOL_DEPS)
 
 AC_CACHE_CHECK([which variable specifies run-time library path],
   libltdl_cv_shlibpath_var, [dnl
diff --git a/libtool.m4 b/libtool.m4
index a69daea4..a5584bd8 100644
--- a/libtool.m4
+++ b/libtool.m4
@@ -108,6 +108,9 @@ ${CONFIG_SHELL-/bin/sh} $ac_aux_dir/ltconfig --no-reexec \
 $libtool_flags --no-verify $ac_aux_dir/ltmain.sh $host \
 || AC_MSG_ERROR([libtool configure failed])
 
+# This can be used to rebuild libtool when needed
+LIBTOOL_DEPS="$ac_aux_dir/ltconfig $ac_aux_dir/ltmain.sh"
+
 # Redirect the config.log output again, so that the ltconfig log is not
 # clobbered by the next message.
 exec 5>>./config.log