diff --git a/build/autotools/shave-libtool.in b/build/autotools/shave-libtool.in
index 02de5adea..1f3a720c1 100644
--- a/build/autotools/shave-libtool.in
+++ b/build/autotools/shave-libtool.in
@@ -5,11 +5,10 @@ SED=@SED@
 if test -z "$SED" ; then
 SED=sed
 fi
-Xsed="$SED -e s/^X//"
 
 lt_unmangle ()
 {
-   last_result=`echo -n X$1 | $Xsed -e 's#.libs/##' -e 's#[^0-9a-zA-Z_]\+_la##'`
+   last_result=`echo $1 | $SED -e 's#.libs/##' -e 's#[0-9a-zA-Z_\-\.]*_la-##'`
 }
 
 # the real libtool to use
@@ -27,7 +26,7 @@ while test "$#" -gt 0; do
 
     case $opt in
     --mode=*)
-        mode=`echo "X$opt" | $Xsed -e 's/[-_a-zA-Z0-9]*=//'`
+        mode=`echo $opt | $SED -e 's/[-_a-zA-Z0-9]*=//'`
         preserved_args="$preserved_args $opt"
         ;;
     -o)
diff --git a/build/autotools/shave.in b/build/autotools/shave.in
index 5098f6f15..174641e9b 100644
--- a/build/autotools/shave.in
+++ b/build/autotools/shave.in
@@ -5,11 +5,10 @@ SED=@SED@
 if test -z "$SED" ; then
 SED=sed
 fi
-Xsed="$SED -e s/^X//"
 
 lt_unmangle ()
 {
-   last_result=`echo -n X$1 | $Xsed -e 's#.libs/##' -e 's#[^0-9a-zA-Z_]\+_la##'`
+   last_result=`echo $1 | $SED -e 's#.libs/##' -e 's#[0-9a-zA-Z_\-\.]*_la-##'`
 }
 
 # the tool to wrap (cc, cxx, ar, ranlib, ..)
@@ -28,7 +27,7 @@ while test "$#" -gt 0; do
 
     case $opt in
     --shave-mode=*)
-        mode=`echo "X$opt" | $Xsed -e 's/[-_a-zA-Z0-9]*=//'`
+        mode=`echo $opt | $SED -e 's/[-_a-zA-Z0-9]*=//'`
 	;;
     -o)
         lt_output="$1"
@@ -41,17 +40,24 @@ while test "$#" -gt 0; do
 done
 
 # mode=link is handled in the libtool wrapper
-case "$mode" in
-compile)
-    Q="  CC    "
-    ;;
-link)
+case "$mode,$tool" in
+link,*)
     pass_through=1
     ;;
-*)
-    # no "libtool" mode has been given, we are called by the Makefile:
-    # -> assume compilation
-    mode=compile
+*,cxx)
+    Q="  CXX   "
+    ;;
+*,cc)
+    Q="  CC    "
+    ;;
+*,fc)
+    Q="  FC    "
+    ;;
+*,f77)
+    Q="  F77   "
+    ;;
+*,*)
+    # should not happen
     Q="  CC    "
     ;;
 esac
diff --git a/build/autotools/shave.m4 b/build/autotools/shave.m4
index 54482db5d..0c2c9f5a0 100644
--- a/build/autotools/shave.m4
+++ b/build/autotools/shave.m4
@@ -1,36 +1,73 @@
 dnl Make automake/libtool output more friendly to humans
 dnl
-dnl SHAVE_INIT([shavedir])
+dnl SHAVE_INIT([shavedir],[default_mode])
 dnl
-dnl shavedir: the directory where the shave script is, it defaults to
+dnl shavedir: the directory where the shave scripts are, it defaults to
 dnl           $(top_builddir)
+dnl default_mode: (enable|disable) default shave mode.  This parameter
+dnl               controls shave's behaviour when no option has been
+dnl               given to configure.  It defaults to disable.
 dnl
 dnl * SHAVE_INIT should be called late in your configure.(ac|in) file (just
-dnl   before AC_CONFIG_FILE/AC_OUTPUT is perfect.  This macro rewrite CC and
+dnl   before AC_CONFIG_FILE/AC_OUTPUT is perfect.  This macro rewrites CC and
 dnl   LIBTOOL, you don't want the configure tests to have these variables
 dnl   re-defined.
 dnl * This macro requires GNU make's -s option.
 
-AC_DEFUN([SHAVE_INIT], [
-dnl where can we find the shave scripts?
-m4_if([$1],,
-  [shavedir='$(top_builddir)'],
-  [shavedir='$(top_builddir)'/$1])
-AC_SUBST(shavedir)
-dnl make is now quiet
-AC_SUBST([MAKEFLAGS], [-s])
-AC_SUBST([AM_MAKEFLAGS], ['`test -z $V && echo -s`'])
-dnl we need sed
-AC_CHECK_PROG(SED,sed,sed,false)
-dnl substitute libtool
-SHAVE_SAVED_LIBTOOL=$LIBTOOL
-AC_SUBST(SHAVE_SAVED_LIBTOOL)
-LIBTOOL="\$(SHELL) \$(shavedir)/shave-libtool '\$(SHAVE_SAVED_LIBTOOL)'"
-AC_SUBST(LIBTOOL)
-dnl substitute cc
-SHAVE_SAVED_CC=$CC
-AC_SUBST(SHAVE_SAVED_CC)
-CC="\$(SHELL) \$(shavedir)/shave cc '\$(SHAVE_SAVED_CC)'"
-AC_SUBST(CC)
+AC_DEFUN([_SHAVE_ARG_ENABLE],
+[
+  AC_ARG_ENABLE([shave],
+    AS_HELP_STRING(
+      [--enable-shave],
+      [use shave to make the build pretty [[default=$1]]]),,
+      [enable_shave=$1]
+    )
+])
+
+AC_DEFUN([SHAVE_INIT],
+[
+  dnl you can tweak the default value of enable_shave
+  m4_if([$2], [enable], [_SHAVE_ARG_ENABLE(yes)], [_SHAVE_ARG_ENABLE(no)])
+
+  if test x"$enable_shave" = xyes; then
+    dnl where can we find the shave scripts?
+    m4_if([$1],,
+      [shavedir="$ac_pwd"],
+      [shavedir="$ac_pwd/$1"])
+    AC_SUBST(shavedir)
+
+    dnl make is now quiet
+    AC_SUBST([MAKEFLAGS], [-s])
+    AC_SUBST([AM_MAKEFLAGS], ['`test -z $V && echo -s`'])
+
+    dnl we need sed
+    AC_CHECK_PROG(SED,sed,sed,false)
+
+    dnl substitute libtool
+    SHAVE_SAVED_LIBTOOL=$LIBTOOL
+    LIBTOOL="${SHELL} ${shavedir}/shave-libtool '${SHAVE_SAVED_LIBTOOL}'"
+    AC_SUBST(LIBTOOL)
+
+    dnl substitute cc/cxx
+    SHAVE_SAVED_CC=$CC
+    SHAVE_SAVED_CXX=$CXX
+    SHAVE_SAVED_FC=$FC
+    SHAVE_SAVED_F77=$F77
+    CC="${SHELL} ${shavedir}/shave cc ${SHAVE_SAVED_CC}"
+    CXX="${SHELL} ${shavedir}/shave cxx ${SHAVE_SAVED_CXX}"
+    FC="${SHELL} ${shavedir}/shave fc ${SHAVE_SAVED_FC}"
+    F77="${SHELL} ${shavedir}/shave f77 ${SHAVE_SAVED_F77}"
+    AC_SUBST(CC)
+    AC_SUBST(CXX)
+    AC_SUBST(FC)
+    AC_SUBST(F77)
+
+    V=@
+  else
+    V=1
+  fi
+  Q='$(V:1=)'
+  AC_SUBST(V)
+  AC_SUBST(Q)
 ])
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 57b9278d0..fdb579c1d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ ALL_LINGUAS=""
 AM_GLIB_GNU_GETTEXT
 GLIB_DEFINE_LOCALEDIR(LOCALEDIR)
 
-SHAVE_INIT([build/autotools])
+SHAVE_INIT([build/autotools], [enable])
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([
         Makefile