diff --git a/config.d/build_control.m4 b/config.d/build_control.m4
index 4151e42c4..67a706e21 100644
--- a/config.d/build_control.m4
+++ b/config.d/build_control.m4
@@ -269,12 +269,12 @@ fi
 
 QF_NEED(top, [libs hw nq qtv qw])
 
-QF_PROCESS_NEED_DIRS(tools,[bsp2img carne pak qfbsp qfcc qflight qflmp qfmodelgen qfspritegen qfvis wad wav])
+QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIST(tools,[bsp2img carne pak qfbsp qfcc qflight qflmp qfmodelgen qfspritegen qfvis wad wav])
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_FUNC(tools,[bsp2img carne pak qfbsp qfcc qflight qflmp qfmodelgen qfspritegen qfvis wad wav], QF_NEED(top,tools))
 
-QF_PROCESS_NEED_DIRS(libs,[util gamecode ruamoko gib audio image models video console net qw client])
+QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIST(libs,[util gamecode ruamoko gib audio image models video console net qw client])
 
-QF_PROCESS_NEED_DIRS(ruamoko,[qwaq])
+QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIST(ruamoko,[qwaq])
 
 if test "$ENABLE_tools_qfcc" = "yes" -a "$ENABLE_tools_pak" = "yes"; then
 	QF_NEED(top, [ruamoko])
@@ -303,11 +303,11 @@ if test "$HAVE_ZLIB" = "yes"; then
 fi
 QF_SUBST(progs_gz)
 
-QF_PROCESS_NEED_DIRS(top, [libs hw nq qtv qw tools ruamoko])
+QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIST(top, [libs hw nq qtv qw tools ruamoko])
 
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(swrend, [asm])
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(render, [gl glsl sw sw32 vulkan], [libs/video/renderer])
-QF_PROCESS_NEED_DIRS(vid_render, [gl glsl sw sw32 vulkan])
+QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIST(vid_render, [gl glsl sw sw32 vulkan])
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(models, [gl glsl sw vulkan], [libs/models])
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(alias, [gl glsl sw vulkan], [libs/models/alias])
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS(brush, [gl glsl sw vulkan], [libs/models/brush])
diff --git a/config.d/result.m4 b/config.d/result.m4
index 87ded6b36..f2dc7fd70 100644
--- a/config.d/result.m4
+++ b/config.d/result.m4
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ AC_MSG_RESULT([
 	Build type         :$BUILD_TYPE
 	Server support     :${SV_TARGETS:- no}
 	Client support     :${CL_TARGETS:- no}
-	Tools support      :${tools_dirs:- no}
+	Tools support      :${tools_list:- no}
 	Sound support      :${SOUND_TYPES:- no} ${snd_output_default}
 	CD Audio system    :${CDTYPE:- no} ${cd_default}
 	IPv6 networking    : $NETTYPE_IPV6
diff --git a/m4/quakeforge.m4 b/m4/quakeforge.m4
index 984cd71f7..5dad02d82 100644
--- a/m4/quakeforge.m4
+++ b/m4/quakeforge.m4
@@ -109,9 +109,9 @@ AC_DEFUN([QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIBS],
 QF_PROCESS_NEED_subroutine([lib$1_],[$1],[.]qfn_ext,[$1_libs],[$2],[$3])
 QF_SUBST([$1_libs])])
 
-AC_DEFUN([QF_PROCESS_NEED_DIRS],
-[QF_PROCESS_NEED_subroutine([],[$1],[],[$1_dirs],[$2])
-QF_SUBST([$1_dirs])])
+AC_DEFUN([QF_PROCESS_NEED_LIST],
+[QF_PROCESS_NEED_subroutine([],[$1],[],[$1_list],[$2])
+QF_SUBST([$1_list])])
 
 AC_DEFUN([QF_DEFAULT_PLUGIN],
 [m4_define([qfn_default], m4_default($3,$1)[_default])