diff --git a/sys-cluster/libi/files/libi-5.0.1_p20180510-respect-variables.patch b/sys-cluster/libi/files/libi-5.0.1_p20180510-respect-variables.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b354931425
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys-cluster/libi/files/libi-5.0.1_p20180510-respect-variables.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+--- a/conf/configure.in
++++ b/conf/configure.in
+@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@
+ AC_PROG_YACC
+ AC_PROG_LN_S
+ 
+-AC_PATH_PROG(AR, ar)
+ ARFLAGS="crv"
+ AC_SUBST(AR)
+ AC_SUBST(ARFLAGS)
+@@ -87,9 +86,6 @@
+ STDCFLAGS="-D__STDC_LIMIT_MACROS -D__STDC_CONSTANT_MACROS -D__STDC_FORMAT_MACROS"
+ CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS -fPIC $STDCFLAGS"
+ 
+-dnl === Ignore user-requested debug/optimization levels
+-CXXFLAGS=`echo $CXXFLAGS | sed 's/-g //; s/-O //; s/-O1 //; s/-O2 //; s/-O3 //'`
+-
+ SOFLAGS="$SOFLAGS -fPIC -shared -rdynamic"
+ AC_SUBST(SOFLAGS)
+ 
diff --git a/sys-cluster/libi/libi-5.0.1_p20180510.ebuild b/sys-cluster/libi/libi-5.0.1_p20180510-r1.ebuild
similarity index 82%
rename from sys-cluster/libi/libi-5.0.1_p20180510.ebuild
rename to sys-cluster/libi/libi-5.0.1_p20180510-r1.ebuild
index cd65d0a7ae..2d6aca2797 100644
--- a/sys-cluster/libi/libi-5.0.1_p20180510.ebuild
+++ b/sys-cluster/libi/libi-5.0.1_p20180510-r1.ebuild
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 EAPI=8
 
-inherit toolchain-funcs
+inherit autotools toolchain-funcs
 
 COMMIT="7375ba5bb0df87c68e58ad15e9e5e351ae020c08"
 
@@ -30,11 +30,20 @@ PATCHES=(
 	"${FILESDIR}/${PN}-create-libdir.patch"
 	"${FILESDIR}/${PN}-link-launchmon.patch"
 	"${FILESDIR}/${PN}-shared-library.patch"
+	"${FILESDIR}/${P}-respect-variables.patch"
 )
 
-src_configure() {
+src_prepare() {
 	tc-export AR
+	default
+	pushd conf || die
+	mv configure.{in,ac} || die
+	eautoreconf
+	popd || die
+	mv conf/configure configure || die
+}
 
+src_configure() {
 	local myconf=(
 		--enable-shared
 		--with-launchmon="${EPREFIX}/usr"