Index: gnu/lib/libgcc/Makefile
===================================================================
--- gnu/lib/libgcc/Makefile
+++ gnu/lib/libgcc/Makefile
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 # from earlier libraries. Disable stack protection for this library.
 #
 MK_SSP=	no
+# Cannot build anything without libgcc.a.
+MK_STATIC_LIBS= yes
 
 .include "${.CURDIR}/../../usr.bin/cc/Makefile.tgt"
 
Index: share/mk/bsd.lib.mk
===================================================================
--- share/mk/bsd.lib.mk
+++ share/mk/bsd.lib.mk
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 .if defined(NO_PIC)
 .undef SHLIB_NAME
 .undef INSTALL_PIC_ARCHIVE
+# There will be no shared library so the static must be built/installed.
+MK_STATIC_LIBS=	yes
 .else
 .if !defined(SHLIB) && defined(LIB)
 SHLIB=		${LIB}
@@ -31,6 +33,12 @@
 .endif
 SONAME?=	${SHLIB_NAME}
 .endif
+.if ${MK_STATIC_LIBS} == "no"
+# Need to build static archive for internal libraries still.
+.if defined(INTERNALLIB)
+MK_STATIC_LIBS=	yes
+.endif
+.endif	# ${MK_STATIC_LIBS} == "no"
 
 .if defined(CRUNCH_CFLAGS)
 CFLAGS+=	${CRUNCH_CFLAGS}
@@ -159,12 +167,13 @@
 LDFLAGS+=	-Wl,--version-script=${VERSION_MAP}
 .endif
 
-.if defined(LIB) && !empty(LIB) || defined(SHLIB_NAME)
+.if (${MK_STATIC_LIBS} == "yes" && defined(LIB) && !empty(LIB)) || \
+    defined(SHLIB_NAME)
 OBJS+=		${SRCS:N*.h:R:S/$/.o/}
 CLEANFILES+=	${OBJS} ${STATICOBJS}
 .endif
 
-.if defined(LIB) && !empty(LIB)
+.if ${MK_STATIC_LIBS} == "yes" && defined(LIB) && !empty(LIB)
 _LIBS=		lib${LIB_PRIVATE}${LIB}.a
 
 lib${LIB_PRIVATE}${LIB}.a: ${OBJS} ${STATICOBJS}
@@ -317,7 +326,8 @@
 realinstall: _libinstall
 .ORDER: beforeinstall _libinstall
 _libinstall:
-.if defined(LIB) && !empty(LIB) && ${MK_INSTALLLIB} != "no"
+.if ${MK_STATIC_LIBS} == "yes" && defined(LIB) && !empty(LIB) && \
+    ${MK_INSTALLLIB} != "no"
 	${INSTALL} -C -o ${LIBOWN} -g ${LIBGRP} -m ${LIBMODE} \
 	    ${_INSTALLFLAGS} lib${LIB_PRIVATE}${LIB}.a ${DESTDIR}${_LIBDIR}/
 .endif
Index: share/mk/bsd.opts.mk
===================================================================
--- share/mk/bsd.opts.mk
+++ share/mk/bsd.opts.mk
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
     OPENSSH \
     PROFILE \
     SSP \
+    STATIC_LIBS \
     SYMVER \
     TOOLCHAIN \
     WARNS
@@ -103,6 +104,10 @@
 MK_STALE_STAGED= no
 .endif
 
+.if ${MK_STATIC_LIBS} == "no"
+MK_PROFILE=	no
+.endif
+
 .include <bsd.cpu.mk>
 
 .endif # !_WITHOUT_SRCCONF
Index: share/mk/src.libnames.mk
===================================================================
--- share/mk/src.libnames.mk
+++ share/mk/src.libnames.mk
@@ -380,7 +380,9 @@
 .endif
 
 .for _l in ${LIBADD}
+.if ${_INTERNALLIBS:M${_l}} || ${MK_STATIC_LIBS} == "yes"
 DPADD+=		${DPADD_${_l}}
+.endif
 LDADD+=		${LDADD_${_l}}
 .endfor
 
Index: tools/build/options/WITHOUT_INSTALLLIB
===================================================================
--- tools/build/options/WITHOUT_INSTALLLIB
+++ tools/build/options/WITHOUT_INSTALLLIB
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 .\" $FreeBSD$
-Set this if you do not want to install optional libraries.
-For example when creating a
+Set this if you do not want to install any static libraries.
+This will create an installation that cannot compile since
+critical system libraries will be missing.
+For example, this can be useful when creating a
 .Xr nanobsd 8
 image.
 .Bf -symbolic
 The option does not work for build targets.
 .Ef
+.Sy WITHOUT_STATIC_LIBS
+can be used to avoid compiling static libraries and also still install
+critical libraries.
Index: tools/build/options/WITHOUT_STATIC_LIBS
===================================================================
--- /dev/null
+++ tools/build/options/WITHOUT_STATIC_LIBS
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+.\" $FreeBSD$
+Set to avoid compiling or installing optional static libraries for libraries
+that build a shared library.
+This will still install some critical static libraries required for compiling.
+To avoid installing any static libraries see
+.Sy WITHOUT_INSTALLLIB .