diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 84efab31da19eb83214158ceb520635d1009a6bd..e1c23c7a1abdf0e96ed5e7f807f825fbb95fc964 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -8,8 +8,14 @@
 
 2012-12-15  Niels Möller  <nisse@lysator.liu.se>
 
+	Based on a patch from Alon Bar-Lev:
+	* Makefile.in (LIBTARGETS, SHLIBTARGET): Define as empty if static
+	or shared libraries, respectively, are disabled.
+	(TARGETS): Deleted @IF_SHARED@ conditional, now in the definition
+	of SHLIBTARGET.
+
 	From Alon Bar-Lev:
-	* configure.ac: Check for ar program.
+	* configure.ac: Check for ar program. New option --disable-static.
 	* config.make.in (AR): Use configured value.
 
 2012-12-13  Niels Möller  <nisse@lysator.liu.se>
diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index c63465c1d32276a6149812076a1c690b8833b847..d6be4650dd68fe323cb1dc76f9553e7cab5b63cd 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ include config.make
 
 PRE_CPPFLAGS = -I.
 # FIXME: Add configuration of LIBEXT?
-LIBTARGETS = libnettle.a @IF_HOGWEED@ libhogweed.a
-SHLIBTARGETS = $(LIBNETTLE_FORLINK) @IF_HOGWEED@ $(LIBHOGWEED_FORLINK)
+LIBTARGETS = @IF_STATIC@ libnettle.a @IF_HOGWEED@ libhogweed.a
+SHLIBTARGETS = @IF_SHARED@ $(LIBNETTLE_FORLINK) @IF_HOGWEED@ $(LIBHOGWEED_FORLINK)
 
 getopt_SOURCES = getopt.c getopt1.c
 getopt_TARGETS = $(getopt_SOURCES:.c=.$(OBJEXT))
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ internal_TARGETS = $(internal_SOURCES:.c=.$(OBJEXT))
 TARGETS = aesdata$(EXEEXT) desdata$(EXEEXT) twofishdata$(EXEEXT) \
 	  shadata$(EXEEXT) gcmdata$(EXEEXT) \
 	  $(getopt_TARGETS) $(internal_TARGETS) \
-	  $(LIBTARGETS) @IF_SHARED@ $(SHLIBTARGETS)
+	  $(LIBTARGETS) $(SHLIBTARGETS)
 IMPLICIT_TARGETS = @IF_DLL@ $(LIBNETTLE_FILE) $(LIBHOGWEED_FILE)
 
 DOCTARGETS = @IF_DOCUMENTATION@ nettle.info nettle.html nettle.pdf
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 18208dcd5b62c228511784e144e63607713a3424..737febbd80fe4a9431fb39e3b54af510ba6cb180 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(assembler,
   AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-assembler],[Disable assembler code]),,
   [enable_assembler=yes])
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(static,
+  AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-static], [Do not build any static library]),,
+  [enable_static=yes])
+
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(shared,
   AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-shared], [Do not build any shared library]),,
   [enable_shared=yes])
@@ -572,6 +576,12 @@ else
   IF_HOGWEED='#'
 fi
 
+if test "x$enable_static" = xyes ; then
+  IF_STATIC=''
+else
+  IF_STATIC='#'
+fi
+
 if test "x$enable_shared" = xyes ; then
   IF_SHARED=''
 else
@@ -601,6 +611,7 @@ else
 fi
 
 AC_SUBST(IF_HOGWEED)
+AC_SUBST(IF_STATIC)
 AC_SUBST(IF_SHARED)
 AC_SUBST(IF_DOCUMENTATION)
 AC_SUBST(IF_DLL)
@@ -683,6 +694,7 @@ AC_MSG_NOTICE([summary of build options:
   Install prefix:    ${prefix}
   Library directory: ${libdir}
   Compiler:          ${CC}
+  Static libraries:  ${enable_static}
   Shared libraries:  ${enable_shared}
   Public key crypto: ${enable_public_key}
   Documentation:     ${enable_documentation}