diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 892ed4f..b50345e 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ librecoll_la_LIBADD = $(LIBXAPIAN) $(LIBICONV) $(LIBTHREADS)
 PicStatic: $(librecoll_la_OBJECTS)
 	rm -f .libs/librecoll.a
 	rm -f .libs/librecoll.so
-	libtool --tag=LD --mode=link gcc -g -O -o librecoll.la \
+	$(LIBTOOL) --tag=LD --mode=link gcc -g -O -o librecoll.la \
 		$(librecoll_la_OBJECTS)
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = recollindex
diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 9fc916d..7eb90d9 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -2160,7 +2160,7 @@ CXXFLAGS ?= @CXXFLAGS@
 PicStatic: $(librecoll_la_OBJECTS)
 	rm -f .libs/librecoll.a
 	rm -f .libs/librecoll.so
-	libtool --tag=LD --mode=link gcc -g -O -o librecoll.la \
+	$(LIBTOOL) --tag=LD --mode=link gcc -g -O -o librecoll.la \
 		$(librecoll_la_OBJECTS)
 
 # EXTRA_DIST: The Php Code does not build anymore. No need to ship it until
diff --git a/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/dirif.cpp b/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/dirif.cpp
index 3a96891..9d0a5f8 100644
--- a/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/dirif.cpp
+++ b/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/dirif.cpp
@@ -305,7 +305,8 @@ void RecollProtocol::listDir(const QUrl& url)
         // which offers an opportunity to not perform it.
         if (ingest.endSlashQuery()) {
             qDebug() << "RecollProtocol::listDir: Ends With /";
-            error(ERR_SLAVE_DEFINED, u8s2qs("Autocompletion search aborted"));
+            error(ERR_SLAVE_DEFINED,
+                  QString::fromUtf8("Autocompletion search aborted"));
             return;
         }
         if (!syncSearch(qd)) {
@@ -335,7 +336,7 @@ void RecollProtocol::listDir(const QUrl& url)
         int pagelen = m_source->getSeqSlice(pagebase, pagesize, page);
         UDSEntry entry;
         if (pagelen < 0) {
-            error(ERR_SLAVE_DEFINED, u8s2qs("Internal error"));
+            error(ERR_SLAVE_DEFINED, QString::fromUtf8("Internal error"));
             break;
         }
         UDSEntryList entries;
diff --git a/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/htmlif.cpp b/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/htmlif.cpp
index 3e79038..cb396c3 100644
--- a/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/htmlif.cpp
+++ b/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/htmlif.cpp
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ void RecollProtocol::showPreview(const Rcl::Doc& idoc)
     string ipath = idoc.ipath;
     if (!interner.internfile(fdoc, ipath)) {
         error(KIO::ERR_SLAVE_DEFINED,
-              u8s2qs("Cannot convert file to internal format"));
+              QString::fromUtf8("Cannot convert file to internal format"));
         return;
     }
     if (!interner.get_html().empty()) {
diff --git a/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/kio_recoll.h b/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/kio_recoll.h
index 6529f91..970019e 100644
--- a/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/kio_recoll.h
+++ b/kde/kioslave/kio_recoll/kio_recoll.h
@@ -201,10 +201,5 @@ extern "C" {
     kdemain(int argc, char **argv);
 }
 
-inline QString u8s2qs(const string& s)
-{
-    return QString::fromUtf8(s.c_str());
-}
-
 
 #endif // _RECOLL_H