diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
index c67ede82003..b9f1820df3e 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 , rebuildBytecode ? true
 , stripBytecode ? false
 , includeSiteCustomize ? true
-, static ? false
+, static ? stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
 # Not using optimizations on Darwin
 # configure: error: llvm-profdata is required for a --enable-optimizations build but could not be found.
 , enableOptimizations ? (!stdenv.isDarwin)
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/cdo/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/cdo/default.nix
index f582be81e86..10e145b34ea 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/cdo/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/cdo/default.nix
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 { stdenv, fetchurl, curl, hdf5, netcdf
-, enable_cdi_lib ? false    # build, install and link to a CDI library [default=no]
-, enable_all_static ? false # build a completely statically linked CDO binary  [default=no]
-, enable_cxx ? false        # Use CXX as default compiler [default=no]
+, # build, install and link to a CDI library [default=no]
+  enable_cdi_lib ? false
+, # build a completely statically linked CDO binary
+  enable_all_static ? stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
+, # Use CXX as default compiler [default=no]
+  enable_cxx ? false
 }:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/crc32c/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/crc32c/default.nix
index b9c12b1889c..c10d218ea42 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/crc32c/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/crc32c/default.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 { stdenv, lib, fetchFromGitHub, cmake, gflags
-, staticOnly ? false }:
+, staticOnly ? stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
+}:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   pname = "crc32c";
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/gsm/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/gsm/default.nix
index 30cffa89938..7214aa6f6b9 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/gsm/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/gsm/default.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 { stdenv, fetchurl
-, staticSupport ? false # Compile statically (support for packages that look for the static object)
+, # Compile statically (support for packages that look for the static object)
+  staticSupport ? stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
 }:
 
 let
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/libev/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/libev/default.nix
index 1ea0615dc23..9f950ebb09c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/libev/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/libev/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-{ stdenv, fetchurl, static ? false }:
+{ stdenv, fetchurl
+, # Note: -static hasn’t work on darwin
+  static ? with stdenv.hostPlatform; isStatic && !isDarwin
+}:
 
 # Note: this package is used for bootstrapping fetchurl, and thus
 # cannot use fetchpatch! All mutable patches (generated by GitHub or
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/libressl/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/libressl/default.nix
index 1f6313d8caa..ae0b63f5577 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/libressl/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/libressl/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-{ stdenv, fetchurl, lib, cmake, cacert, fetchpatch, buildShared ? true }:
+{ stdenv, fetchurl, lib, cmake, cacert, fetchpatch
+, buildShared ? !stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
+}:
 
 let
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/nghttp2/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/nghttp2/default.nix
index c9ccf63f889..7bcdf8feb30 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/nghttp2/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/nghttp2/default.nix
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 , enableAsioLib ? false, boost ? null
 , enableGetAssets ? false, libxml2 ? null
 , enableJemalloc ? false, jemalloc ? null
-, enableApp ? !stdenv.hostPlatform.isWindows
+, enableApp ? with stdenv.hostPlatform; !isWindows && !isStatic
 , enablePython ? false, python ? null, cython ? null, ncurses ? null, setuptools ? null
 }:
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/snappy/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/snappy/default.nix
index e626db8efb7..0880df7ef2f 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/snappy/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/snappy/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-{ stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, cmake, static ? false }:
+{ stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, cmake
+, static ? stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
+}:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   pname = "snappy";
diff --git a/pkgs/development/web/woff2/default.nix b/pkgs/development/web/woff2/default.nix
index d770fb62753..aadeb3cd043 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/web/woff2/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/web/woff2/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-{ brotli, cmake, pkgconfig, fetchFromGitHub, stdenv, static ? false }:
+{ brotli, cmake, pkgconfig, fetchFromGitHub, stdenv
+, static ? stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
+}:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   pname = "woff2";
diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kmod/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kmod/default.nix
index 805b8a32aed..56fd4c353d9 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kmod/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kmod/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 { stdenv, lib, fetchurl, autoreconfHook, pkgconfig
 , libxslt, xz, elf-header
-, withStatic ? false }:
+, withStatic ? stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
+}:
 
 let
   systems = [ "/run/current-system/kernel-modules" "/run/booted-system/kernel-modules" "" ];
diff --git a/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix b/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix
index ddf0aacdf07..e31d1ab707c 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ self: super:
   mkfontdir = self.mkfontscale;
 
   libxcb = super.libxcb.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
-    configureFlags = [ "--enable-xkb" "--enable-xinput" ];
+    configureFlags = [ "--enable-xkb" "--enable-xinput" ]
+      ++ stdenv.lib.optional stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic "--disable-shared";
     outputs = [ "out" "dev" "man" "doc" ];
   });
 
@@ -82,15 +83,18 @@ self: super:
     outputs = [ "out" "dev" "man" ];
     configureFlags = attrs.configureFlags or []
       ++ malloc0ReturnsNullCrossFlag;
-    depsBuildBuild = [ buildPackages.stdenv.cc ];
+    depsBuildBuild = [
+      buildPackages.stdenv.cc
+    ] ++ stdenv.lib.optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic [
+      (self.buildPackages.stdenv.cc.libc.static or null)
+    ];
     preConfigure = ''
       sed 's,^as_dummy.*,as_dummy="\$PATH",' -i configure
     '';
-    postInstall =
-      ''
-        # Remove useless DocBook XML files.
-        rm -rf $out/share/doc
-      '';
+    postInstall = ''
+      # Remove useless DocBook XML files.
+      rm -rf $out/share/doc
+    '';
     CPP = stdenv.lib.optionalString stdenv.isDarwin "clang -E -";
     propagatedBuildInputs = attrs.propagatedBuildInputs or [] ++ [ self.xorgproto ];
   });
@@ -138,6 +142,11 @@ self: super:
   xdpyinfo = super.xdpyinfo.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
     configureFlags = attrs.configureFlags or []
       ++ malloc0ReturnsNullCrossFlag;
+    preConfigure = attrs.preConfigure or ""
+    # missing transitive dependencies
+    + stdenv.lib.optionalString stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic ''
+      export NIX_CFLAGS_LINK="$NIX_CFLAGS_LINK -lXau -lXdmcp"
+    '';
   });
 
   # Propagate some build inputs because of header file dependencies.
@@ -223,8 +232,9 @@ self: super:
   libXi = super.libXi.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
     outputs = [ "out" "dev" "man" "doc" ];
     propagatedBuildInputs = attrs.propagatedBuildInputs or [] ++ [ self.libXfixes ];
-    configureFlags = stdenv.lib.optional (stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform)
-      "xorg_cv_malloc0_returns_null=no";
+    configureFlags = stdenv.lib.optionals (stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform) [
+      "xorg_cv_malloc0_returns_null=no"
+    ] ++ stdenv.lib.optional stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic "--disable-shared";
   });
 
   libXinerama = super.libXinerama.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
@@ -745,6 +755,11 @@ self: super:
 
   xauth = super.xauth.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
     doCheck = false; # fails
+    preConfigure = attrs.preConfigure or ""
+    # missing transitive dependencies
+    + stdenv.lib.optionalString stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic ''
+      export NIX_CFLAGS_LINK="$NIX_CFLAGS_LINK -lxcb -lXau -lXdmcp"
+    '';
   });
 
   xcursorthemes = super.xcursorthemes.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/compression/brotli/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/compression/brotli/default.nix
index f4f0ac41563..62873569aae 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/compression/brotli/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/compression/brotli/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-{ stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, cmake, fetchpatch, staticOnly ? false }:
+{ stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, cmake, fetchpatch
+, staticOnly ? stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
+}:
 
 # ?TODO: there's also python lib in there
 
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/compression/zstd/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/compression/zstd/default.nix
index c26ca507525..d805602e0df 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/compression/zstd/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/compression/zstd/default.nix
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 , fixDarwinDylibNames
 , file
 , legacySupport ? false
-, static ? false
+, static ? stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
 }:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/filesystems/e2fsprogs/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/filesystems/e2fsprogs/default.nix
index f846bf1f200..f26a41ce142 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/filesystems/e2fsprogs/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/filesystems/e2fsprogs/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-{ stdenv, buildPackages, fetchurl, fetchpatch, pkgconfig, libuuid, gettext, texinfo, shared ? true }:
+{ stdenv, buildPackages, fetchurl, fetchpatch, pkgconfig, libuuid, gettext, texinfo
+, shared ? !stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
+}:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   pname = "e2fsprogs";
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/graphics/gifsicle/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/graphics/gifsicle/default.nix
index 007ba0f9972..72220fab480 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/graphics/gifsicle/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/graphics/gifsicle/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-{ stdenv, fetchurl, xorgproto, libXt, libX11, gifview ? false, static ? false }:
+{ stdenv, fetchurl, xorgproto, libXt, libX11
+, gifview ? false
+, static ? stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
+}:
 
 with stdenv.lib;
 
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/networking/curl/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/networking/curl/default.nix
index 82245f4cd26..6f1c202a91c 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/networking/curl/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/networking/curl/default.nix
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
 , gnutlsSupport ? false, gnutls ? null
 , wolfsslSupport ? false, wolfssl ? null
 , scpSupport ? zlibSupport && !stdenv.isSunOS && !stdenv.isCygwin, libssh2 ? null
-, gssSupport ? !stdenv.hostPlatform.isWindows, libkrb5 ? null
+, # a very sad story re static: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=439039
+  gssSupport ? with stdenv.hostPlatform; !isWindows && !isStatic, libkrb5 ? null
 , c-aresSupport ? false, c-ares ? null
 , brotliSupport ? false, brotli ? null
 }:
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/static.nix b/pkgs/top-level/static.nix
index f1d3ea2a159..48e4618762a 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/static.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/static.nix
@@ -108,18 +108,11 @@ in {
       haskellStaticAdapter;
   };
 
-  nghttp2 = super.nghttp2.override {
-    enableApp = false;
-  };
-
   zlib = super.zlib.override {
     # Don’t use new stdenv zlib because
     # it doesn’t like the --disable-shared flag
     stdenv = super.stdenv;
   };
-  gifsicle = super.gifsicle.override {
-    static = true;
-  };
   openssl = super.openssl_1_1.overrideAttrs (o: {
     # OpenSSL doesn't like the `--enable-static` / `--disable-shared` flags.
     configureFlags = (removeUnknownConfigureFlags o.configureFlags);
@@ -129,86 +122,13 @@ in {
     # --disable-shared flag
     stdenv = super.stdenv;
   };
-  cdo = super.cdo.override {
-    enable_all_static = true;
-  };
-  gsm = super.gsm.override {
-    staticSupport = true;
-  };
-  crc32c = super.crc32c.override {
-    staticOnly = true;
-  };
   perl = super.perl.override {
     # Don’t use new stdenv zlib because
     # it doesn’t like the --disable-shared flag
     stdenv = super.stdenv;
   };
-  woff2 = super.woff2.override {
-    static = true;
-  };
-  snappy = super.snappy.override {
-    static = true;
-  };
-  libressl = super.libressl.override {
-    buildShared = false;
-  };
-
-  kmod = super.kmod.override {
-    withStatic = true;
-  };
-
-  curl = super.curl.override {
-    # a very sad story: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=439039
-    gssSupport = false;
-  };
-
-  e2fsprogs = super.e2fsprogs.override {
-    shared = false;
-  };
-
-  brotli = super.brotli.override {
-    staticOnly = true;
-  };
-
-  zstd = super.zstd.override {
-    static = true;
-  };
 
   ocaml-ng = self.lib.mapAttrs (_: set:
     if set ? overrideScope' then set.overrideScope' ocamlStaticAdapter else set
   ) super.ocaml-ng;
-
-  python27 = super.python27.override { static = true; };
-  python36 = super.python36.override { static = true; };
-  python37 = super.python37.override { static = true; };
-  python38 = super.python38.override { static = true; };
-  python39 = super.python39.override { static = true; };
-  python3Minimal = super.python3Minimal.override { static = true; };
-
-  # Note: -static doesn’t work on darwin
-  libev = super.libev.override { static = !super.stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin; };
-
-  xorg = super.xorg.overrideScope' (xorgself: xorgsuper: {
-    libX11 = xorgsuper.libX11.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
-      depsBuildBuild = attrs.depsBuildBuild ++ [ (self.buildPackages.stdenv.cc.libc.static or null) ];
-    });
-    xauth = xorgsuper.xauth.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
-      # missing transitive dependencies
-      preConfigure = attrs.preConfigure or "" + ''
-        export NIX_CFLAGS_LINK="$NIX_CFLAGS_LINK -lxcb -lXau -lXdmcp"
-      '';
-    });
-    xdpyinfo = xorgsuper.xdpyinfo.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
-      # missing transitive dependencies
-      preConfigure = attrs.preConfigure or "" + ''
-        export NIX_CFLAGS_LINK="$NIX_CFLAGS_LINK -lXau -lXdmcp"
-      '';
-    });
-    libxcb = xorgsuper.libxcb.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
-      configureFlags = attrs.configureFlags ++ [ "--disable-shared" ];
-    });
-    libXi= xorgsuper.libXi.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
-      configureFlags = attrs.configureFlags ++ [ "--disable-shared" ];
-    });
-  });
 }