diff --git a/lix/libexpr/meson.build b/lix/libexpr/meson.build
index f0f5618bc..1b6104039 100644
--- a/lix/libexpr/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libexpr/meson.build
@@ -270,32 +270,59 @@ libexpr_headers = files(
   # keep-sorted end
 )
 
-libexpr = library(
-  'lixexpr',
+dependencies = [
+  liblixutil,
+  liblixstore,
+  liblixfetchers,
+  boehm,
+  boost,
+  toml11,
+  nlohmann_json,
+  kj,
+]
+
+libexpr_temp = library(
+  is_static ? 'lixexpr_temp' : 'lixexpr',
   libexpr_sources,
   libexpr_settings_header,
   libexpr_generated_headers,
   register_builtins_header,
   register_builtin_constants_header,
-  dependencies : [
-    liblixutil,
-    liblixstore,
-    liblixfetchers,
-    boehm,
-    boost,
-    toml11,
-    nlohmann_json,
-    kj,
-  ],
+  dependencies : dependencies,
   # for shared.hh
   include_directories : [
     '../libmain',
   ],
   cpp_pch : cpp_pch,
-  install : true,
+  install : not is_static,
   # FIXME(Qyriad): is this right?
   install_rpath : libdir,
 )
+# FIXME: remove when https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix/issues/359 is fixed.
+# FIXME: replace by prelink when https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/pull/14846 is widely available.
+if is_static
+  libexpr_prelink = custom_target(
+    'lixexpr-prelink',
+    output : 'lixexpr-prelink.o',
+    input : libexpr_temp,
+    command : [
+      cxx.cmd_array(),
+      '-r',
+      '-o',
+      '@OUTPUT@',
+      is_darwin ? '-Wl,-force_load' : '-Wl,--whole-archive',
+      '@INPUT@',
+    ],
+  )
+  libexpr = library(
+    'lixexpr',
+    [libexpr_prelink],
+    dependencies : dependencies,
+    install : true,
+  )
+else
+  libexpr = libexpr_temp
+endif
 
 install_headers(
   libexpr_headers,
@@ -312,16 +339,7 @@ liblixexpr = declare_dependency(
 )
 
 # FIXME: remove when https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix/issues/359 is fixed.
-if is_static
-  liblixexpr_mstatic = declare_dependency(
-    include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
-    sources : libexpr_settings_header,
-    dependencies : [boehm],
-    link_whole : libexpr,
-  )
-else
-  liblixexpr_mstatic = liblixexpr
-endif
+liblixexpr_mstatic = is_static ? liblixexpr.as_link_whole() : liblixexpr
 meson.override_dependency('lix-expr', liblixexpr_mstatic)
 
 # FIXME: not using the pkg-config module because it creates way too many deps
diff --git a/lix/libfetchers/meson.build b/lix/libfetchers/meson.build
index 95c110736..e4b1532f2 100644
--- a/lix/libfetchers/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libfetchers/meson.build
@@ -46,22 +46,49 @@ libfetchers_settings_header = custom_target(
   install_dir : includedir / 'lix/libfetchers',
 )
 
-libfetchers = library(
-  'lixfetchers',
+dependencies = [
+  liblixstore,
+  liblixutil,
+  nlohmann_json,
+  kj,
+]
+
+libfetchers_temp = library(
+  is_static ? 'lixfetchers_temp' : 'lixfetchers',
   libfetchers_settings_header,
   libfetchers_sources,
-  dependencies : [
-    liblixstore,
-    liblixutil,
-    nlohmann_json,
-    kj,
-  ],
+  dependencies : dependencies,
   include_directories : [ '../..' ],
   cpp_pch : cpp_pch,
-  install : true,
+  install : not is_static,
   # FIXME(Qyriad): is this right?
   install_rpath : libdir,
 )
+# FIXME: remove when https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix/issues/359 is fixed.
+# FIXME: replace by prelink when https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/pull/14846 is widely available.
+if is_static
+  libfetchers_prelink = custom_target(
+    'lixfetchers-prelink',
+    output : 'lixfetchers-prelink.o',
+    input : libfetchers_temp,
+    command : [
+      cxx.cmd_array(),
+      '-r',
+      '-o',
+      '@OUTPUT@',
+      is_darwin ? '-Wl,-force_load' : '-Wl,--whole-archive',
+      '@INPUT@',
+    ],
+  )
+  libfetchers = library(
+    'lixfetchers',
+    [libfetchers_prelink],
+    dependencies : dependencies,
+    install : true,
+  )
+else
+  libfetchers = libfetchers_temp
+endif
 
 install_headers(libfetchers_headers, subdir : 'lix/libfetchers', preserve_path : true)
 
@@ -85,14 +112,4 @@ liblixfetchers = declare_dependency(
   link_with : libfetchers,
 )
 
-# FIXME: remove when https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix/issues/359 is fixed.
-if is_static
-  liblixfetchers_mstatic = declare_dependency(
-    include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
-    sources : libfetchers_settings_header,
-    link_whole : libfetchers,
-  )
-else
-  liblixfetchers_mstatic = liblixfetchers
-endif
-meson.override_dependency('lix-fetchers', liblixfetchers_mstatic)
+meson.override_dependency('lix-fetchers', liblixfetchers)
diff --git a/lix/libstore/meson.build b/lix/libstore/meson.build
index 2cc827e9f..24ffb5d86 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libstore/meson.build
@@ -402,8 +402,8 @@ if host_machine.system() == 'freebsd'
   dependencies += [ libprocstat ]
 endif
 
-libstore = library(
-  'lixstore',
+libstore_temp = library(
+  is_static ? 'lixstore_temp' : 'lixstore',
   libstore_sources,
   libstore_generated_sources,
   libstore_settings_headers,
@@ -413,10 +413,35 @@ libstore = library(
   dependencies : dependencies,
   cpp_args : cpp_args,
   cpp_pch : cpp_pch,
-  install : true,
+  install : not is_static,
   # FIXME(Qyriad): is this right?
   install_rpath : libdir,
 )
+# FIXME: remove when https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix/issues/359 is fixed.
+# FIXME: replace by prelink when https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/pull/14846 is widely available.
+if is_static
+  libstore_prelink = custom_target(
+    'lixstore-prelink',
+    output : 'lixstore-prelink.o',
+    input : libstore_temp,
+    command : [
+      cxx.cmd_array(),
+      '-r',
+      '-o',
+      '@OUTPUT@',
+      is_darwin ? '-Wl,-force_load' : '-Wl,--whole-archive',
+      '@INPUT@',
+    ],
+  )
+  libstore = library(
+    'lixstore',
+    [libstore_prelink],
+    dependencies : dependencies,
+    install : true,
+  )
+else
+  libstore = libstore_temp
+endif
 
 install_headers(libstore_headers, subdir : 'lix/libstore', preserve_path : true)
 
@@ -427,17 +452,7 @@ liblixstore = declare_dependency(
   link_with : libstore,
 )
 
-# FIXME: remove when https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix/issues/359 is fixed.
-if is_static
-  liblixstore_mstatic = declare_dependency(
-    include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
-    sources : libstore_settings_headers,
-    link_whole : libstore,
-  )
-else
-  liblixstore_mstatic = liblixstore
-endif
-meson.override_dependency('lix-store', liblixstore_mstatic)
+meson.override_dependency('lix-store', liblixstore)
 
 # FIXME: not using the pkg-config module because it creates way too many deps
 # while meson migration is in progress, and we want to not include boost here
diff --git a/lix/libutil/meson.build b/lix/libutil/meson.build
index 19dba69f4..adcb571f2 100644
--- a/lix/libutil/meson.build
+++ b/lix/libutil/meson.build
@@ -323,8 +323,23 @@ foreach rpc : libutil_rpc
   libutil_rpc_sources += rpc[1]
 endforeach
 
-libutil = library(
-  'lixutil',
+dependencies = [
+  aws_sdk,
+  aws_s3,
+  boehm,
+  boost,
+  cpuid,
+  seccomp,
+  libarchive,
+  brotli,
+  openssl,
+  nlohmann_json,
+  kj,
+  capnp_rpc,
+]
+
+libutil_temp = library(
+  is_static ? 'lixutil_temp' : 'lixutil',
   libutil_sources,
   libutil_rpc_sources,
   libutil_rpc_headers,
@@ -333,25 +348,37 @@ libutil = library(
   deprecated_features_header,
   deprecated_features_impl_header,
   libutil_settings_headers,
-  dependencies : [
-    aws_sdk,
-    aws_s3,
-    boehm,
-    boost,
-    cpuid,
-    seccomp,
-    libarchive,
-    brotli,
-    openssl,
-    nlohmann_json,
-    kj,
-    capnp_rpc,
-  ],
+  dependencies : dependencies,
   include_directories : [ '../..' ],
   cpp_pch : cpp_pch,
   implicit_include_directories : true,
-  install : true,
+  install : not is_static,
 )
+# FIXME: remove when https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix/issues/359 is fixed.
+# FIXME: replace by prelink when https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/pull/14846 is widely available.
+if is_static
+  libutil_prelink = custom_target(
+    'lixutil-prelink',
+    output : 'lixutil-prelink.o',
+    input : libutil_temp,
+    command : [
+      cxx.cmd_array(),
+      '-r',
+      '-o',
+      '@OUTPUT@',
+      is_darwin ? '-Wl,-force_load' : '-Wl,--whole-archive',
+      '@INPUT@',
+    ],
+  )
+  libutil = library(
+    'lixutil',
+    [libutil_prelink],
+    dependencies : dependencies,
+    install : true,
+  )
+else
+  libutil = libutil_temp
+endif
 
 install_headers(libutil_headers, subdir : 'lix/libutil', preserve_path : true)
 
@@ -389,27 +416,4 @@ liblixutil = declare_dependency(
   link_with : libutil
 )
 
-# FIXME: remove when https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix/issues/359 is fixed.
-if is_static
-  liblixutil_mstatic = declare_dependency(
-    include_directories : include_directories('../..'),
-    sources : [
-      experimental_features_header,
-      deprecated_features_header,
-      libutil_settings_headers,
-      libutil_rpc_headers,
-    ],
-    dependencies: [
-      boost,
-      # Everything has to link to kj if it uses libutil internally (ensured by
-      # lix-base pkg-config externally)
-      kj,
-      libarchive,
-      capnp_rpc,
-    ],
-    link_whole : libutil,
-  )
-else
-  liblixutil_mstatic = liblixutil
-endif
-meson.override_dependency('lix-util', liblixutil_mstatic)
+meson.override_dependency('lix-util', liblixutil)
diff --git a/lix/nix/meson.build b/lix/nix/meson.build
index 08c4df6f7..6e09b5b78 100644
--- a/lix/nix/meson.build
+++ b/lix/nix/meson.build
@@ -169,10 +169,10 @@ nix = executable(
   dependencies : [
     libasanoptions,
     liblixcmd,
-    liblixutil_mstatic,
-    liblixstore_mstatic,
-    liblixexpr_mstatic,
-    liblixfetchers_mstatic,
+    liblixutil,
+    liblixstore,
+    liblixexpr,
+    liblixfetchers,
     liblixmain,
     boehm,
     nlohmann_json,
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 7a8750afc..9c696a8fe 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -16,19 +16,6 @@
 #
 # Finally, lix/nix/meson.build defines the Nix command itself, relying on all prior meson files.
 #
-# libstore, libexpr, and libfetchers have some special handling to make static builds work.
-# Their use static constructors for dynamic registration of primops, store backends, etc
-# gets borked during static link. We can't simply wholesale apply `link_whole :` either,
-# because these libraries get linked multiple times since Lix's components are transitively
-# dependent. So instead, each of those libraries have two dependency objects:
-# liblix{store,expr,fetchers,util} and liblix{store,expr,fetchers,util}_mstatic ("maybe static").
-# The _mstatic versions should be used in the `dependencies :` arguments to ALL EXECUTABLES
-# but executables ONLY. When we are not building statically (default_library != 'static'),
-# they are equivalent. When we are building statically, the _mstatic version will be
-# `link_whole :` rather than `link_with :`.
-# FIXME: This hack should be removed when https://git.lix.systems/lix-project/lix/issues/359
-# is fixed.
-#
 # lix-doc is built with Meson in lix-doc/meson.build, and linked into libcmd in
 # lix/libcmd/meson.build. When building outside the Nix sandbox, Meson will use the .wrap
 # files in subprojects/ to download and extract the dependency crates into subprojects/.
diff --git a/tests/unit/meson.build b/tests/unit/meson.build
index 3bac0b05e..1c835fd41 100644
--- a/tests/unit/meson.build
+++ b/tests/unit/meson.build
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ libutil_tester = executable(
     rapidcheck,
     gtest,
     liblixutil,
-    liblixexpr_mstatic,
+    liblixexpr,
     liblixutil_test_support,
     nlohmann_json,
     kj,
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ libstore_tester = executable(
     libasanoptions,
     liblixstore_test_support,
     liblixutil_test_support,
-    liblixstore_mstatic,
+    liblixstore,
     liblixutil,
     rapidcheck,
     gtest,
@@ -221,10 +221,10 @@ libexpr_tester = executable(
     libasanoptions,
     liblixexpr_test_support,
     liblixstore_test_support,
-    liblixstore_mstatic,
+    liblixstore,
     liblixutil,
-    liblixexpr_mstatic,
-    liblixfetchers_mstatic,
+    liblixexpr,
+    liblixfetchers,
     rapidcheck,
     gtest,
     nlohmann_json,
@@ -253,8 +253,8 @@ libcmd_tester = executable(
     liblixcmd,
     liblixutil,
     liblixmain,
-    liblixexpr_mstatic,
-    liblixstore_mstatic,
+    liblixexpr,
+    liblixstore,
     gtest,
     boost,
     kj,