diff --git a/project/config/cfgdefs.sh b/project/config/cfgdefs.sh
index eb58356..2db66e4 100644
--- a/project/config/cfgdefs.sh
+++ b/project/config/cfgdefs.sh
@@ -252,6 +252,22 @@ cfgdefs_perform_target_tests()
 	mb_cfgtest_makevar='LDFLAGS_DBM_STATIC'
 	cfgtest_makevar_append '$(LDFLAGS_DBM)'
 
+	# static python library switches
+	cfgtest_newline
+	cfgtest_comment 'static python library switches'
+	mb_cfgtest_makevar='LDFLAGS_PYEXT_STATIC'
+
+	cfgtest_makevar_append '-Wl,--as-needed -lssl -lcrypto -Wl,--no-as-needed'
+	cfgtest_makevar_append '-Wl,--as-needed -lbz2          -Wl,--no-as-needed'
+	cfgtest_makevar_append '-Wl,--as-needed -lffi          -Wl,--no-as-needed'
+	cfgtest_makevar_append '-Wl,--as-needed -lgdbm         -Wl,--no-as-needed'
+	cfgtest_makevar_append '-Wl,--as-needed -lreadline     -Wl,--no-as-needed'
+	cfgtest_makevar_append '-Wl,--as-needed -lintl         -Wl,--no-as-needed'
+	cfgtest_makevar_append '-Wl,--as-needed -lz            -Wl,--no-as-needed'
+
+	[ $python_major = '3' ] && \
+	cfgtest_makevar_append '-Wl,--as-needed -lzma          -Wl,--no-as-needed'
+
 	# pretty cfgdefs.mk
 	cfgtest_newline
 }
diff --git a/project/depends.mk b/project/depends.mk
index 855395d..e69de29 100644
--- a/project/depends.mk
+++ b/project/depends.mk
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-# static extensions: dependency switch
-LDFLAGS_PYEXT_STATIC	= -lssl -lcrypto -lreadline -lbz2 -lgdbm -lffi -lintl -lz