diff --git a/egg-compile.scm b/egg-compile.scm
index f6de778c..2d245ef3 100644
--- a/egg-compile.scm
+++ b/egg-compile.scm
@@ -193,7 +193,9 @@
                       (sdeps '())
                       (src #f)
                       (cbuild #f)
-                      (link (if (null? link) default-extension-linkage link))
+                      (link (if (eq? mode 'target)
+                                '(static)
+                                (if (null? link) default-extension-linkage link)))
                       (tfile #f)
                       (ptfile #f)
                       (ifile #f)
@@ -242,7 +244,9 @@
                       (sdeps '())
                       (src #f)
                       (cbuild #f)
-                      (link (if (null? link) default-extension-linkage link))
+                      (link (if (eq? mode 'target)
+                                '(static)
+                                (if (null? link) default-extension-linkage link)))
                       (oname #f)
                       (mods #f)
                       (opts opts))
@@ -324,7 +328,9 @@
                       (sdeps '())
                       (cbuild #f)
                       (src #f)
-                      (link (if (null? link) default-program-linkage link))
+                      (link (if (eq? mode 'target)
+                                '(static)
+                                (if (null? link) default-program-linkage link)))
                       (lobjs '())
                       (lopts lopts)
                       (oname #f)