diff --git a/apps/Makefile.in b/apps/Makefile.in
index f2ce4a2a6d..0f5b874d2e 100644
--- a/apps/Makefile.in
+++ b/apps/Makefile.in
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ RANLIB = @RANLIB@
 SET_MAKE = @SET_MAKE@
 SHELL = @SHELL@
 SOURCE_TOP_DIR = @SOURCE_TOP_DIR@
+STATIC_FLAGS = @STATIC_FLAGS@
 STRIP = @STRIP@
 VERSION = @VERSION@
 ac_ct_CC = @ac_ct_CC@
diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index 26e5beafc0..91f46951ee 100755
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -5237,3 +5237,9 @@ Karl 2003/07/02
         boinc.py
         test_backend.py
 
+Karl 2003/07/02
+    - turn on static libraries only on Linux
+
+    configure.ac
+    client/
+        Makefile.am
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 212cb869d6..447ab0d44f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -126,6 +126,13 @@ AC_STRUCT_TM
 
 AC_SUBST(CLIENT_BIN_FILENAME,[boinc_${MAJOR_VERSION}.${MINOR_VERSION}_$host${EXEEXT}])
 
+# by default, create static binaries on linux.
+[if [ "$target_os" = "linux-gnu" ]; then
+    STATIC_FLAGS="-static -static-libgcc"
+fi
+echo "checking static flags... ${STATIC_FLAGS:-(none)}"]
+AC_SUBST(STATIC_FLAGS)
+
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([RSAEuro/source/Makefile
                  RSAEuro/Makefile
                  api/Makefile
diff --git a/db/Makefile.in b/db/Makefile.in
index 426394a44c..92c2ae078b 100644
--- a/db/Makefile.in
+++ b/db/Makefile.in
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ RANLIB = @RANLIB@
 SET_MAKE = @SET_MAKE@
 SHELL = @SHELL@
 SOURCE_TOP_DIR = @SOURCE_TOP_DIR@
+STATIC_FLAGS = @STATIC_FLAGS@
 STRIP = @STRIP@
 VERSION = @VERSION@
 ac_ct_CC = @ac_ct_CC@
diff --git a/test/Makefile.in b/test/Makefile.in
index 5215f6b4ad..ddc42f2372 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.in
+++ b/test/Makefile.in
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ RANLIB = @RANLIB@
 SET_MAKE = @SET_MAKE@
 SHELL = @SHELL@
 SOURCE_TOP_DIR = @SOURCE_TOP_DIR@
+STATIC_FLAGS = @STATIC_FLAGS@
 STRIP = @STRIP@
 VERSION = @VERSION@
 ac_ct_CC = @ac_ct_CC@
diff --git a/tools/Makefile.in b/tools/Makefile.in
index 06531cdf82..24f5a54c47 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile.in
+++ b/tools/Makefile.in
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ RANLIB = @RANLIB@
 SET_MAKE = @SET_MAKE@
 SHELL = @SHELL@
 SOURCE_TOP_DIR = @SOURCE_TOP_DIR@
+STATIC_FLAGS = @STATIC_FLAGS@
 STRIP = @STRIP@
 VERSION = @VERSION@
 ac_ct_CC = @ac_ct_CC@