USE flags forced by /etc/portage/package.use look the same as other flags, while it is sometimes reasonable to have them looking different. Eg.: ddc@ddclpc ~ $ grep openssh /etc/portage/package.use net-misc/openssh -ldap ddc@ddclpc ~ $ emerge -pv openssh These are the packages that would be merged, in order: Calculating dependencies... done! [ebuild R ] net-misc/openssh-5.0_p1-r1 USE="X pam tcpd -X509 -hpn -kerberos -ldap -libedit (-selinux) -skey -smartcard -static" 0 kB Total: 1 package (1 reinstall), Size of downloads: 0 kB It might be a good idea to have the emerge output as following: ddc@ddclpc ~ $ emerge -pv openssh These are the packages that would be merged, in order: Calculating dependencies... done! [ebuild R ] net-misc/openssh-5.0_p1-r1 USE="X pam tcpd -X509 -hpn -kerberos [-ldap] -libedit (-selinux) -skey -smartcard -static" 0 kB Total: 1 package (1 reinstall), Size of downloads: 0 kB