diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 7912d1e973..1b2214efd9 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -269,26 +269,11 @@ endif
 
 vlc_DEPENDENCIES = src/$(LIB_libvlc) $(DATA_win32_rc)
 
-vlc_LDADD = $(DATA_win32_rc) $(LIBVLC)
+vlc_LDADD = $(DATA_win32_rc) $(LIBVLC) $(LTLIBINTL)
 
 vlc_CFLAGS = `$(VLC_CONFIG) --cflags vlc`
-if USE_LIBTOOL
 LIB_libvlc = libvlc.la
 LIBVLC = src/$(LIB_libvlc)
-vlc_LDFLAGS =
-else
-if HAVE_WIN32
-vlc_LDFLAGS = -L$(top_builddir)/src -lvlc `$(VLC_CONFIG) --libs vlc`
-LIB_libvlc = libvlc.dll.a
-LIBVLC =
-else
-vlc_LDFLAGS = $(vlc_WORKAROUNDLFDLAGS) `$(VLC_CONFIG) --libs vlc builtin`
-LIB_libvlc = libvlc.a
-LIBVLC = src/$(LIB_libvlc)
-vlc_DEPENDENCIES += stamp-builtin
-endif
-vlc_LDADD += $(INCLUDED_LIBINTL)
-endif
 
 # Shortcut for developpers to rebuild the core (libvlc + vlc)
 # Don't use it if you don't know what it is about.
@@ -310,7 +295,7 @@ vlc$(EXEEXT): $(vlc_OBJECTS) $(vlc_LDADD) $(vlc_DEPENDENCIES)
 	  objc) cmd="$(OBJCLINK)" ;; \
 	  c|*) cmd="$(LINK)" ;; \
 	esac ; \
-	cmd="$$cmd $(vlc_OBJECTS) $(vlc_LDADD) $(vlc_LDFLAGS)" ; \
+	cmd="$$cmd $(vlc_OBJECTS) $(vlc_LDADD)" ; \
 	echo $$cmd ; \
 	eval $$cmd
 
diff --git a/bindings/java/src/Makefile.am b/bindings/java/src/Makefile.am
index df4574cc4b..1ba9398225 100644
--- a/bindings/java/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/bindings/java/src/Makefile.am
@@ -13,24 +13,15 @@ libjvlc_la_SOURCES = \
 libjvlc_la_CPPFLAGS = `$(VLC_CONFIG) --cflags pic` $(JINCLUDES)
 libjvlc_la_LIBADD = ../../../src/libvlc-control.la $(LIBJINCLUDES)
 
-libjvlc_a_SOURCES=$(libjvlc_la_SOURCES)
-libjvlc_a_CPPFLAGS = `$(VLC_CONFIG) --cflags pic` $(JINCLUDES)
-
 if BUILD_JAVA
 
-if USE_LIBTOOL
 lib_LTLIBRARIES = libjvlc.la
-else
-lib_LIBRARIES = libjvlc.a
-endif 
 
 if HAVE_WIN32
 DATA_noinst_libjvlc = jvlc$(LIBEXT) libjvlc$(LIBEXT).a
 LIBRARIES_libvlc = $(top_builddir)/src/libvlc.dll.a
-libjvlc_a_DEPENDENCIES = libjvlc.def $(LIBRARIES_libvlc)
 LDFLAGS_jvlc = `$(VLC_CONFIG) --libs libvlc`
 libjvlc_DATA = jvlc$(LIBEXT)
-libjvlc_a_LIBADD = ../../../src/libvlc.dll.a
 
 libjvlcdir=$(srcdir)
 
@@ -49,9 +40,6 @@ jvlc$(LIBEXT): $(libjvlc_a_OBJECTS) \
 
 all: libjvlc.dll.a
 
-else
-libjvlc_a_LIBADD = ../../../src/libvlc.a
-
 endif
 
 .PHONY: clean-local
diff --git a/bootstrap b/bootstrap
index c61761b4ac..57215e70a0 100755
--- a/bootstrap
+++ b/bootstrap
@@ -226,12 +226,7 @@ LTLIBVLC = -L\$(top_builddir)/src -lvlc
 AM_LDFLAGS = -rpath '\$(libvlcdir)' -avoid-version \\
 	-module -no-undefined -shrext \$(LIBEXT) \\
 	-export-symbol-regex ^\$(VLC_ENTRY)\$\$
-
-if USE_LIBTOOL
 AM_LIBADD = \$(LTLIBVLC)
-else
-LIBVLC = -l\$(top_builddir) -lvlc
-endif
 
 all: all-modules
 
@@ -240,18 +235,10 @@ nice:
 
 # Find out which modules were enabled and tell make to build them
 all-modules:
-if USE_LIBTOOL
 	@set fnord \$\$MAKEFLAGS; amf=\$\$2; targets=\`\\
 	z=\$\$(\$(VLC_CONFIG) --list plugin); for mod in \$(mods); do case "\$\$z " in *\ \$\${mod}\ *) echo lib\$\${mod}_plugin.la;; esac; done; \\
 	\`; case "\$\$targets" in *lib*) \$(MAKE) \$(AM_MAKEFLAGS) \$\$targets || case "\$\$amf" in *=*) exit 1;; *k*) fail=yes;; *) exit 1;; esac; ;; esac; \\
 	test -z "\$\$fail"
-else
-	@set fnord \$\$MAKEFLAGS; amf=\$\$2; targets=\`\\
-	z=\$\$(\$(VLC_CONFIG) --list plugin); for mod in \$(mods); do case "\$\$z " in *\ \$\${mod}\ *) echo lib\$\${mod}_plugin\$(LIBEXT);; esac; done; \\
-	z=\$\$(\$(VLC_CONFIG) --list builtin); for mod in \$(mods); do case "\$\$z " in *\ \$\${mod}\ *) echo lib\$\${mod}.a;; esac; done; \\
-	\`; case "\$\$targets" in *lib*) \$(MAKE) \$(AM_MAKEFLAGS) \$\$targets || case "\$\$amf" in *=*) exit 1;; *k*) fail=yes;; *) exit 1;; esac; ;; esac; \\
-	test -z "\$\$fail"
-endif
 
 # Build a plugin with the adequate linker and linker's flags
 _plugin.la_plugin\$(LIBEXT):
@@ -272,53 +259,25 @@ if MAINTAINER_MODE
 endif
 
 mostlyclean-local:
-	-rm -f *.la
-if !USE_LIBTOOL
-	-rm -f *\$(LIBEXT)
-endif
+	-rm -f -- *.la
 
 ### automake creates libvlcdir after running install-*-local
 ### so we have to create it ourselves first
 install-exec-local: all-modules
-if USE_LIBTOOL
 	@if test -z "\$(libvlc_LTLIBRARIES)"; then \
 	  z=\$\$(\$(VLC_CONFIG) --list plugin); \
 	  m=\`for mod in \$(mods); do case "\$\$z " in *\ \$\${mod}\ *) echo -n " lib\$\${mod}_plugin.la" ;; esac; done\` ; \
 	  test -z "\$\$m" || \
   	    \$(MAKE) \$(AM_MAKEFLAGS) libvlc_LTLIBRARIES="\$\$m" install-libvlcLTLIBRARIES || exit \$\$? ; \
 	fi
-else
-	mkdir -p -- "\$(DESTDIR)\$(libvlcdir)"
-	@z=\$\$(\$(VLC_CONFIG) --list plugin); \
-	for mod in \$(mods); do \
-	  case "\$\$z " \
-	    in *\ \$\${mod}\ *) \
-	      echo \$(INSTALL_PROGRAM) "lib\$\${mod}_plugin\$(LIBEXT)" "\$(DESTDIR)\$(libvlcdir)/" ; \
-	      \$(INSTALL_PROGRAM) "lib\$\${mod}_plugin\$(LIBEXT)" "\$(DESTDIR)\$(libvlcdir)/" || exit \$\$?; \
-	      ;; \
-	  esac; \
-	done
-endif
 
 uninstall-local:
-if USE_LIBTOOL
 	@if test -z "\$(libvlc_LTLIBRARIES)"; then \
 	  z=\$\$(\$(VLC_CONFIG) --list plugin); \
 	  m=\`for mod in \$(mods); do case "\$\$z " in *\ \$\${mod}\ *) echo -n " lib\$\${mod}_plugin.la" ;; esac; done\` ; \
 	  test -z "\$\$m" || \
 	    \$(MAKE) \$(AM_MAKEFLAGS) libvlc_LTLIBRARIES="\$\$m" uninstall-libvlcLTLIBRARIES || exit \$\$?; \
 	fi
-else
-	@z=\$\$(\$(VLC_CONFIG) --list plugin); \
-	for mod in \$(mods); do \
-	  case "\$\$z " \
-	    in *\ \$\${mod}\ *) \
-	      echo rm -f "\$(DESTDIR)\$(libvlcdir)/lib\$\${mod}_plugin\$(LIBEXT)" ; \
-	      rm -f "\$(DESTDIR)\$(libvlcdir)/lib\$\${mod}_plugin\$(LIBEXT)" || true; \
-	      ;; \
-	  esac; \
-	done
-endif
 
 EOF
   for mod in $mods
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 8567124321..a9e4f4bb98 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -336,7 +336,6 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(libtool,
 AS_IF([test "x{enable_libtool}" = "xno"], [
 	AC_MSG_WARN([Disabling libtool is strongly discouraged. There are known bugs.])
 ])
-AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_LIBTOOL, [test "x${enable_libtool}" != "xno"] )
 
 lt_cv_deplibs_check_method=pass_all
 
diff --git a/mozilla/Makefile.am b/mozilla/Makefile.am
index 2d69fa4531..79be83f19d 100644
--- a/mozilla/Makefile.am
+++ b/mozilla/Makefile.am
@@ -138,13 +138,8 @@ endif
 
 noinst_LIBRARIES_mozilla = libnpvlc.a
 
-if USE_LIBTOOL
 # FIXME: name is incorrect on Win32 & Darwin
 npvlc_LTLIBRARIES = libvlcplugin.la
-else
-npvlc_DATA = $(npvlc)
-EXTRA_LIBRARIES = libnpvlc.a
-endif
 endif
 
 if HAVE_WIN32
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 105b6987bb..484cfe814f 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -307,10 +307,8 @@ misc/revision.c:
 ###############################################################################
 # Unit/regression test
 ###############################################################################
-if USE_LIBTOOL
 check_PROGRAMS = test_i18n_atof test_url test_utf8
 TESTS = $(check_PROGRAMS)
-endif
 
 CFLAGS_tests = `$(VLC_CONFIG) --cflags libvlc`