diff --git a/libs/backends/wscript b/libs/backends/wscript
index 2bf8c397ed..0127559fc0 100644
--- a/libs/backends/wscript
+++ b/libs/backends/wscript
@@ -4,16 +4,12 @@ from waflib.extras import autowaf as autowaf
 def options(opt):
     pass
 
-def sub_config_and_use(conf, name, has_objects = True):
-    conf.recurse(name)
-    autowaf.set_local_lib(conf, name, has_objects)
-
 def configure(conf):
     autowaf.set_recursive()
 
     backends = conf.env['BACKENDS']
     for i in backends:
-        sub_config_and_use(conf, i)
+        conf.recurse(i)
 
 def build(bld):
     backends = bld.env['BACKENDS']
diff --git a/libs/panners/wscript b/libs/panners/wscript
index 77133aeb6e..5abacb7f2a 100644
--- a/libs/panners/wscript
+++ b/libs/panners/wscript
@@ -4,17 +4,13 @@ from waflib.extras import autowaf as autowaf
 def options(opt):
     pass
 
-def sub_config_and_use(conf, name, has_objects = True):
-    conf.recurse(name)
-    autowaf.set_local_lib(conf, name, has_objects)
-
 def configure(conf):
     autowaf.set_recursive()
 
     panners = [ '2in2out', '1in2out', 'vbap', 'stereobalance' ]
 
     for i in panners:
-        sub_config_and_use(conf, i)
+        conf.recurse(i)
 
 def build(bld):
     panners = [ '2in2out', '1in2out', 'vbap', 'stereobalance' ]
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/wscript b/libs/surfaces/wscript
index 5ad692bdb9..c93e6da052 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/wscript
+++ b/libs/surfaces/wscript
@@ -27,10 +27,6 @@ children = [
 def options(opt):
     pass
 
-def sub_config_and_use(conf, name, has_objects = True):
-    conf.recurse(name)
-    autowaf.set_local_lib(conf, name, has_objects)
-
 def configure(conf):
     global children
 
@@ -70,7 +66,7 @@ def configure(conf):
         children += [ 'websockets' ]
 
     for i in children:
-        sub_config_and_use(conf, i)
+        conf.recurse(i)
 
 def build(bld):
     bld.recurse('generic_midi')
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index 42b498e11e..af9f93ef43 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -1481,7 +1481,7 @@ int main () { __int128 x = 0; return 0; }
         conf.env.append_value('LIB', 'm')
 
     for i in children:
-        sub_config_and_use(conf, i)
+        conf.recurse(i)
 
     # Fix utterly braindead FLAC include path to not smash assert.h
     conf.env['INCLUDES_FLAC'] = []