diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bd806763..710e5c24 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -422,6 +422,9 @@ from `/usr/local/lib`, causing a library load error when running `ugrep`.  To
 correct this, add `export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:/usr/local/lib"` to
 your `~/.bashrc` file.  Or run `sudo ldconfig /usr/local/lib`.
 
+**Note:** you can build static executables by supplying `--enable-static`
+as an argument to `./build.sh`.
+
 ### Other platforms: step 3 build
 
 Build `ugrep` on Unix-like systems with colors enabled by default:
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index be41b410..3bdcc32f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -389,6 +389,24 @@ fi
 AC_SUBST(ZSH_COMPLETION_DIR)
 AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_ZSH_COMPLETION],[test "x$with_zsh_completion_dir" != "xno"])
 
+################################################################################
+# Static or dynamic (default) linking
+################################################################################
+
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(static,
+  [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-static],
+                  [build static ugrep binaries])],
+              [enable_static=yes],
+              [enable_static=no])
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --enable-static)
+if test "x$enable_static" == "xyes"; then
+  CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -static"
+  LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -static"
+  AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+else
+  AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+fi
+
 ################################################################################
 # Installation preferences
 ################################################################################