diff --git a/src/driver/slbt_driver_ctx.c b/src/driver/slbt_driver_ctx.c
index 82514bc..bbc1dd9 100644
--- a/src/driver/slbt_driver_ctx.c
+++ b/src/driver/slbt_driver_ctx.c
@@ -317,6 +317,64 @@ static int slbt_driver_fail_incompatible_args(
 	return slbt_get_driver_ctx_fail(0,meta);
 }
 
+
+static int slbt_driver_parse_tool_argv(const char * tool, char *** tool_argv)
+{
+	int             argc;
+	char **         argv;
+	const char *    ch;
+	const char *    mark;
+
+	if (!(ch = tool))
+		return 0;
+
+	argc = 1;
+
+	for (; *ch == ' '; )
+		ch++;
+
+	for (; *ch; ) {
+		if (*ch++ == ' ') {
+			argc++;
+
+			for (; (*ch == ' '); )
+				ch++;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (argc == 1)
+		return 0;
+
+	if (!(*tool_argv = calloc(++argc,sizeof(char *))))
+		return -1;
+
+	for (ch=tool; (*ch == ' '); ch++)
+		(void)0;
+
+	argv = *tool_argv;
+	mark = ch;
+
+	for (; *ch; ) {
+		if (*ch == ' ') {
+			if (!(*argv++ = strndup(mark,ch-mark)))
+				return -1;
+
+			for (; (*ch == ' '); )
+				ch++;
+
+			mark = ch;
+		} else {
+			ch++;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (!(*argv++ = strndup(mark,ch-mark)))
+		return -1;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+
 int slbt_get_driver_ctx(
 	char **				argv,
 	char **				envp,
@@ -883,6 +941,13 @@ int slbt_get_driver_ctx(
 			cfgmeta_dlltool))
 		return slbt_get_driver_ctx_fail(&ctx->ctx,0);
 
+	/* host tool arguments */
+	if (slbt_driver_parse_tool_argv(ctx->cctx.host.ar,&ctx->host.ar_argv) < 0)
+		return slbt_get_driver_ctx_fail(&ctx->ctx,0);
+
+	if (slbt_driver_parse_tool_argv(ctx->cctx.host.ranlib,&ctx->host.ranlib_argv) < 0)
+		return slbt_get_driver_ctx_fail(&ctx->ctx,0);
+
 	/* flavor settings */
 	slbt_init_flavor_settings(
 		&ctx->cctx,0,
diff --git a/src/internal/slibtool_lconf_impl.c b/src/internal/slibtool_lconf_impl.c
index 88dc873..5daa2f4 100644
--- a/src/internal/slibtool_lconf_impl.c
+++ b/src/internal/slibtool_lconf_impl.c
@@ -799,7 +799,7 @@ int slbt_get_lconf_flags(
 
 	/* ar tool */
 	if (!ctx->cctx.host.ar) {
-		if (slbt_get_lconf_var(addr,cap,"AR=",0,&val) < 0)
+		if (slbt_get_lconf_var(addr,cap,"AR=",0x20,&val) < 0)
 			return SLBT_CUSTOM_ERROR(
 				dctx,SLBT_ERR_LCONF_PARSE);
 
@@ -812,7 +812,7 @@ int slbt_get_lconf_flags(
 
 	/* ranlib tool */
 	if (!ctx->cctx.host.ranlib) {
-		if (slbt_get_lconf_var(addr,cap,"RANLIB=",0,&val) < 0)
+		if (slbt_get_lconf_var(addr,cap,"RANLIB=",0x20,&val) < 0)
 			return SLBT_CUSTOM_ERROR(
 				dctx,SLBT_ERR_LCONF_PARSE);