--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+2011-12-17  Jim Meyering  <meyering@redhat.com>
+
+	bootstrap: correct the recent buildreq change
+	The 2011-12-07 commit, 39f5f1e4, omitted some '*'s, and thus
+	had no effect.
+	* build-aux/bootstrap (buildreq): Bracket each search term with
+	"*...*", so that the shell "case" statement works as intended.
+	Add comments.
+
 2011-12-17  Bernhard Voelker  <mail@bernhard-voelker.de>
 
 	build: let bootstrap resort to wget when downloading .po files

--- a/build-aux/bootstrap
+++ b/build-aux/bootstrap
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #! /bin/sh
 # Print a version string.
-scriptversion=2011-12-07.20; # UTC
+scriptversion=2011-12-17.15; # UTC
 
 # Bootstrap this package from checked-out sources.
 
@@ -478,26 +478,32 @@
   find_tool LIBTOOLIZE glibtoolize libtoolize
 fi
 
+# gnulib-tool requires at least automake and autoconf.
+# If either is not listed, add it (with minimum version) as a prerequisite.
 case $buildreq in
-  automake) ;;
+  *automake*) ;;
   *) buildreq="automake 1.9
 $buildreq" ;;
 esac
 case $buildreq in
-  autoconf) ;;
+  *autoconf*) ;;
   *) buildreq="autoconf 2.59
 $buildreq" ;;
 esac
+
+# When we can deduce that gnulib-tool will require patch,
+# and when patch is not already listed as a prerequisite, add it, too.
 if test ! -d "$local_gl_dir" \
     || find "$local_gl_dir" -name '*.diff' -exec false {} +; then
   :
 else
   case $buildreq in
-    patch) ;;
+    *patch*) ;;
     *) buildreq="patch -
 $buildreq" ;;
   esac
 fi
+
 if ! printf "$buildreq" | check_versions; then
   echo >&2
   if test -f README-prereq; then