diff --git a/bootstrap.conf b/bootstrap.conf
index 3ab7721f2..a15bda341 100644
--- a/bootstrap.conf
+++ b/bootstrap.conf
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 avoided_gnulib_modules='
   --avoid=canonicalize-lgpl
   --avoid=dummy
+  --avoid=mbuiter
+  --avoid=mbuiterf
 '
 
 # gnulib modules used by this package.
@@ -163,7 +165,7 @@ gnulib_modules="
   mbschr
   mbslen
   mbswidth
-  mcel
+  mcel-prefer
   memcasecmp
   memchr
   memcmp2