diff --git a/subr/pkg_install.subr b/subr/pkg_install.subr
index ee6c783..a378499 100644
--- a/subr/pkg_install.subr
+++ b/subr/pkg_install.subr
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@ pkgp_install_perms() {
 };
 
 pkg_install() {
-	local _destdir="" _destdir_prefix="" _ifs_old="${IFS:- }" _pkglist_name="" IFS;
+	local _destdir="" _destdir_prefix="" _pkglist_name="";
 	if ! rtl_fileop mkdir "${PKG_PREFIX}"; then
 		return 1;
 	else	for _destdir in "${PKG_DESTDIR}:${PKG_PREFIX}" "${PKG_DESTDIR_HOST}:${PREFIX}"; do
-			IFS=":"; set -- ${_destdir}; IFS="${_ifs_old}"; _destdir="${1}"; _destdir_prefix="${2}";
+			rtl_lassign "_destdir _destdir_prefix" ":" "${_destdir}";
 			if [ -e "${_destdir}" ]; then
 				pkgp_install_perms "${_destdir}";
 				(set +o errexit -o noglob; rtl_flock_acquire 4 || exit "${?}"; date;
diff --git a/subr/rtl_list.subr b/subr/rtl_list.subr
index 515681b..369d3b4 100644
--- a/subr/rtl_list.subr
+++ b/subr/rtl_list.subr
@@ -2,6 +2,20 @@
 # set +o errexit -o noglob -o nounset is assumed.
 #
 
+rtl_lassign() {
+	local	_vnames="${1}" _sep="${2}" _vname="" _vval=""\
+		IFS RTL_LFIRST_HEAD="" RTL_LFIRST_TAIL="";
+	IFS="${_sep}"; shift 2;
+	for _vval in ${@}; do
+		if ! rtl_lfirst "${_vnames}" " "; then
+			return 1;
+		else
+			_vname="${RTL_LFIRST_HEAD}"; _vnames="${RTL_LFIRST_TAIL}";
+			rtl_set_var_unsafe "${_vname}" "${_vval}";
+		fi;
+	done;
+};
+
 rtl_lconcat() {
 	local _list="${1}" _litem_new="${2}" _sep="${3:- }" IFS="${3:-${IFS:- }}";
 	if [ -n "${_list}" ]; then
@@ -30,6 +44,16 @@ rtl_lfilter() {
 	printf "%s" "${_lnew}";
 };
 
+rtl_lfirst() {
+	local _list="${1}" _sep="${2}" IFS; IFS="${_sep}";
+	set -- ${_list}; RTL_LFIRST_HEAD="${1}";
+	if [ "${#}" -ge 0 ]; then
+		shift; RTL_LFIRST_TAIL="${*}";
+	else
+		RTL_LFIRST_TAIL="";
+	fi;
+};
+
 rtl_llength() {
 	local _list="${1}" _sep="${2:- }" IFS="${2:-${IFS:- }}" _litem="" _llength=0;
 	for _litem in ${_list}; do