error: Libtool library used but 'LIBTOOL' is undefined

[eserte]

On some of my smokers systems (debian/stretch, Ubuntu 16.04) I see the following build error:

...
Makefile.am: installing './INSTALL'
examples/Makefile.am: installing './depcomp'
libusb/Makefile.am:5: error: Libtool library used but 'LIBTOOL' is undefined
libusb/Makefile.am:5:   The usual way to define 'LIBTOOL' is to add 'LT_INIT'
libusb/Makefile.am:5:   to 'configure.ac' and run 'aclocal' and 'autoconf' again.
libusb/Makefile.am:5:   If 'LT_INIT' is in 'configure.ac', make sure
libusb/Makefile.am:5:   its definition is in aclocal's search path.
autoreconf: automake failed with exit status: 1
external command failed at /opt/perl-5.24.4-RC1/lib/site_perl/5.24.4/Alien/Build/CommandSequence.pm line 87.
Makefile:1028: recipe for target '_alien/mm/build' failed
make: *** [_alien/mm/build] Error 1

[a3f]

Can't reproduce on my Ubuntu 16.04 (even after removing libtool & libtoolize) and honestly got no idea why that occurs...