diff --git a/lib/configure.py b/lib/configure.py
index 2893437511..7d522980c1 100644
--- a/lib/configure.py
+++ b/lib/configure.py
@@ -380,9 +380,10 @@ def checkConverterEntries():
         rc_entry = [ r'\converter odt        latex      "%%"	""' ])
     # On SuSE the scripts have a .sh suffix, and on debian they are in /usr/share/tex4ht/
     # Both SuSE and debian have oolatex
-    checkProg('a LaTeX -> Open Document converter', ['oolatex $$i', 'oolatex.sh $$i', \
-        '/usr/share/tex4ht/oolatex $$i', \
-        'htlatex $$i \'xhtml,ooffice\' \'ooffice/! -cmozhtf\' \'-coo\' \'-cvalidate\''],
+    checkProg('a LaTeX -> Open Document converter', [
+        'htlatex $$i \'xhtml,ooffice\' \'ooffice/! -cmozhtf\' \'-coo\' \'-cvalidate\'', \
+	'oolatex $$i', 'oolatex.sh $$i', \
+        '/usr/share/tex4ht/oolatex $$i'],
         rc_entry = [ r'\converter latex      odt        "%%"	"needaux"' ])
     # On windows it is called latex2rt.exe
     checkProg('a LaTeX -> RTF converter', ['latex2rtf -p -S -o $$o $$i', 'latex2rt -p -S -o $$o $$i'],
diff --git a/status.15x b/status.15x
index e7bc0b93b7..a4a8ca8273 100644
--- a/status.15x
+++ b/status.15x
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ What's new
 - Stop warning messages when a local layout file is opened. Fix bugs caused by
   incorrect reloading of local layout files.
 
+- Use verbose htlatex command instead of oolatex, if available, since the latter
+  caused problems on some systems (bug 4604).
+
+
 * USER INTERFACE:
 
 - Allow to enter starred math commands like "\tag*" (bug 4584).
@@ -73,6 +77,7 @@ What's new
 
 - When cutting a selection do not leave a dangling paragraph (bug 3995).
 
+
 * DOCUMENTATION
 
 - Math manual: