diff --git a/config/CONFIG.Linux b/config/CONFIG.Linux
index f490fc8cf..de31825f1 100644
--- a/config/CONFIG.Linux
+++ b/config/CONFIG.Linux
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ BUILD_TYPE = Unix
 GCC = gcc
 ACC = acc
 SUNCC = cc
-AR = ar
+AR = ar 
 ARFLAGS = r
+ARCMD = $(AR) $(ARFLAGS)
 RANLIB = ranlib
 RANLIBFLAGS = -t
 YACC = $(EYACC)
diff --git a/config/CONFIG.alpha b/config/CONFIG.alpha
index 5e497a650..31b9f1062 100644
--- a/config/CONFIG.alpha
+++ b/config/CONFIG.alpha
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ BUILD_TYPE = Unix
 GCC = gcc
 ACC = cc -std
 TRADCC = cc -traditional
-AR = ar
+AR = ar 
+ARCMD = $(AR) $(ARFLAGS)
 RANLIB = ranlib
 YACC = $(EYACC)
 LEX = $(ELEX)
diff --git a/config/CONFIG.hp700 b/config/CONFIG.hp700
index c71a22bc0..db2f27915 100644
--- a/config/CONFIG.hp700
+++ b/config/CONFIG.hp700
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ ACC = cc -Aa
 HPACC = cc -Aa
 HPCC = cc -Ac
 TRADCC = cc
-AR = ar
+AR = ar 
+ARCMD = $(AR) $(ARFLAGS)
 RANLIB = ranlib
 YACC = $(EYACC)
 LEX = $(ELEX)
diff --git a/config/CONFIG.sgi b/config/CONFIG.sgi
index a937cb586..ea183cd06 100644
--- a/config/CONFIG.sgi
+++ b/config/CONFIG.sgi
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ BUILD_TYPE = Unix
 GCC = cc
 ACC = cc
 KRCC = cc -cckr
-AR = ar
+AR = ar 
+ARCMD = $(AR) $(ARFLAGS)
 ARFLAGS = r
 RANLIB = ls
 RANLIBFLAGS =
diff --git a/config/CONFIG.solaris b/config/CONFIG.solaris
index 1a31d04cf..8740876ce 100644
--- a/config/CONFIG.solaris
+++ b/config/CONFIG.solaris
@@ -14,7 +14,15 @@ GCC = gcc
 ACC = $(SPARCWORKS)/bin/cc
 # SUNCC doesn't exist under Solaris
 
+#
+# required by sun's C++ compiler
+#
 AR = ar
+_AR = $(AR) $(ARFLAGS)
+G++_AR = $(_AR)
+CCC_AR = $(CCC) -xar -o
+ARCMD = $($(CPLUSPLUS)_AR)
+
 RANLIB =
 YACC = $(EYACC)
 LEX = $(ELEX)
diff --git a/config/CONFIG.sun4 b/config/CONFIG.sun4
index 4523774cc..fa8d87e59 100644
--- a/config/CONFIG.sun4
+++ b/config/CONFIG.sun4
@@ -26,17 +26,16 @@ MKDIR = mkdir
 #
 # original before use of sun C++
 #
-#ARFLAGS = r
-#AR = ar
 
 #
 # required by sun's C++ compiler
 #
-ARFLAGS = 
-_ARCHIVE_BUILDER = ar r 
-G++_ARCHIVE_BUILDER = $(_ARCHIVE_BUILDER) 
-CCC_ARCHIVE_BUILDER = $(CCC) -xar -o 
-AR = $($(CPLUSPLUS)_ARCHIVE_BUILDER)
+ARFLAGS = r
+AR = ar
+_AR = $(AR) $(ARFLAGS)
+G++_AR = $(_AR) 
+CCC_AR = $(CCC) -xar -o 
+ARCMD = $($(CPLUSPLUS)_AR)
 
 ACC_ANSI_INVOKE_W_NO = $(ACC) -Xa -w
 ACC_ANSI_INVOKE_W_YES = $(ACC) -Xa
diff --git a/config/RULES.Unix b/config/RULES.Unix
index 94c5f7361..0136a8a73 100644
--- a/config/RULES.Unix
+++ b/config/RULES.Unix
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ $(TARGETS) $(PROD): $(DEPLIBS)
 $(LIBNAME): $(LIBOBJS)
 	@echo Building library $@
 	$(RM) $@
-	$(AR) $(ARFLAGS) $@ $(LIBOBJS)
+	$(ARCMD) $@ $(LIBOBJS)
 	@if [ ! -z "$(RANLIB)" ] ; then\
 		echo $(RANLIB) $@; \
 		$(RANLIB) $@; \