diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/builder.sh b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/builder.sh
index 9d34bda23bf..177e8482c90 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/builder.sh
@@ -35,6 +35,16 @@ preConfigure() {
 }
 
 
+postConfigure=postConfigure
+postConfigure() {
+    # Hack: get rid of the `-static' flag set by the bootstrap stdenv.
+    # This has to be done *after* `configure' because it builds some
+    # test binaries.
+    export NIX_CFLAGS_LINK=
+    export NIX_LDFLAGS_BEFORE=
+}
+
+
 postInstall=postInstall
 postInstall() {
     if test -n "$installLocales"; then
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix
index cd2357df48f..e497acc9c25 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ rec {
     
     import ../generic {
       name = "stdenv-linux-boot";
+      param1 = if staticGlibc then "static" else "dynamic";
       preHook = ./scripts/prehook.sh;
       stdenv = stdenvInitial;
       shell = bootstrapTools.bash;
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/prehook.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/prehook.sh
index 29c02e2eaf2..4ba81f1eef7 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/prehook.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/prehook.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
 export NIX_ENFORCE_PURITY=1
 
+if test "$param1" = "static"; then
+    export NIX_CFLAGS_LINK="-static"
+    export NIX_LDFLAGS_BEFORE="-static"
+fi
+
 havePatchELF=1