diff --git a/libvirt.spec.in b/libvirt.spec.in
index 80c5c1f37a..050903647b 100644
--- a/libvirt.spec.in
+++ b/libvirt.spec.in
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@
   sed -ne 's/^\.fc\?\([0-9]\+\).*/%%define fedora \1/p')}
 %endif
 
+# Default to skipping autoreconf.  Distros can change just this one line
+# (or provide a command-line override) if they backport any patches that
+# touch configure.ac or Makefile.am.
+%{!?enable_autotools:%define enable_autotools 0}
+
 # A client only build will create a libvirt.so only containing
 # the generic RPC driver, and test driver and no libvirtd
 # Default to a full server + client build
@@ -349,6 +354,12 @@ Requires(postun): systemd-units
 %endif
 
 # All build-time requirements
+%if 0%{?enable_autotools}
+BuildRequires: autoconf
+BuildRequires: automake
+BuildRequires: gettext-devel
+BuildRequires: libtool
+%endif
 BuildRequires: python-devel
 %if %{with_systemd}
 BuildRequires: systemd-units
@@ -729,6 +740,9 @@ of recent versions of Linux (and other OSes).
 %define init_scripts --with-init_script=redhat
 %endif
 
+%if 0%{?enable_autotools}
+autoreconf -if
+%endif
 %configure %{?_without_xen} \
            %{?_without_qemu} \
            %{?_without_openvz} \
diff --git a/mingw32-libvirt.spec.in b/mingw32-libvirt.spec.in
index 89d1d7fefb..ef636cd39f 100644
--- a/mingw32-libvirt.spec.in
+++ b/mingw32-libvirt.spec.in
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
 %define __find_provides %{_mingw32_findprovides}
 %define __debug_install_post %{_mingw32_debug_install_post}
 
+# Default to skipping autoreconf.  Distros can change just this one line
+# (or provide a command-line override) if they backport any patches that
+# touch configure.ac or Makefile.am.
+%{!?enable_autotools:%define enable_autotools 0}
+
 # The mingw build is client only.  Set up defaults for hypervisor drivers
 # that talk via a native remote protocol, and for which prereq mingw
 # libraries exist.
@@ -44,6 +49,12 @@ BuildRequires:  mingw32-portablexdr
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig
 # Need native version for msgfmt
 BuildRequires:  gettext
+%if 0%{?enable_autotools}
+BuildRequires: autoconf
+BuildRequires: automake
+BuildRequires: gettext-devel
+BuildRequires: libtool
+%endif
 
 %if %{with_phyp}
 BuildRequires: mingw32-libssh2
@@ -81,6 +92,9 @@ MinGW Windows libvirt virtualization library.
 %define _without_xenapi --without-xenapi
 %endif
 
+%if 0%{?enable_autotools}
+autoreconf -if
+%endif
 # XXX enable SASL in future
 %{_mingw32_configure} \
   --without-xen \