diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index c8cb1d797c..02ce639019 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ jobs:
           lfs: true
 
       # echo suppresses pacman prompt
-      - run: echo|./configure --enable-static
+      - run: echo|./configure
         env:
           CACHIX_CACHE: ares
           CACHIX_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CACHIX_AUTH_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/compat/mingw/compat.mk b/pkg/urbit/compat/mingw/compat.mk
index fcb48a4a4b..8add2a3b6e 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/compat/mingw/compat.mk
+++ b/pkg/urbit/compat/mingw/compat.mk
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # increase default thread stack size and link Windows implibs
-LDFLAGS := $(LDFLAGS) -Wl,--stack,67108864 -lbcrypt -lntdll -lws2_32
+LDFLAGS := $(LDFLAGS) -static -Wl,--stack,67108864 -lbcrypt -lntdll -lws2_32
 # libcurl
 CFLAGS  := $(CFLAGS)  -DCURL_STATICLIB
 LDFLAGS := $(LDFLAGS) -lzstd -lcrypt32
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/compat/poor-mans-nix-shell.sh b/pkg/urbit/compat/poor-mans-nix-shell.sh
index 7ad8459a43..cc18fabc2e 100644
--- a/pkg/urbit/compat/poor-mans-nix-shell.sh
+++ b/pkg/urbit/compat/poor-mans-nix-shell.sh
@@ -149,4 +149,4 @@ pdirs+=($dir) # XX support json override a la cdirs/pdirs
 CFLAGS="${CFLAGS-} ${cdirs[@]}"
 LDFLAGS="${LDFLAGS-} ${ldirs[@]}"
 
-PKG_CONFIG_PATH="${PKG_CONFIG_PATH-}:$(IFS=:;echo "${pdirs[*]}")"
+PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(IFS=:;echo "${pdirs[*]}"):${PKG_CONFIG_PATH-}"
diff --git a/pkg/urbit/configure b/pkg/urbit/configure
index 35f10b9786..138f52a85f 100755
--- a/pkg/urbit/configure
+++ b/pkg/urbit/configure
@@ -68,12 +68,6 @@ do
   shift
 done
 
-
-if [ -n "${opt_static-}" ]
-then
-  CFLAGS="${CFLAGS-} -static"
-fi
-
 [ -n "${MEMORY_DEBUG-}" ]     && defmacro U3_MEMORY_DEBUG 1
 [ -n "${MEMORY_LOG-}" ]       && defmacro U3_MEMORY_LOG 1
 [ -n "${CPU_DEBUG-}" ]        && defmacro U3_CPU_DEBUG 1
@@ -112,11 +106,9 @@ esac
 # TODO Determine if the target cpu is little or big endian.
 case $(tr A-Z a-z <<< $os) in
   *mingw*)
-     if [ -z "${opt_static-}" ]
-     then
-        echo mingw builds are static-only
-        exit 1
-     fi
+     # mingw builds are static-only
+     #
+     opt_static=1
 
      # ensure required mingw packages are installed
      mpkgs=(cmake curl gcc jq make)
@@ -179,6 +171,10 @@ PKG_CONFIG="${PKG_CONFIG-pkg-config}"
 
 if [ -n "${opt_static-}" ]
 then
+  CFLAGS="${CFLAGS-} -static"
+  # XX can't set -static here due libuv's -ldl on MacOS
+  #
+  # LDFLAGS="${LDFLAGS-} -static"
   PKG_CONFIG="$PKG_CONFIG --static"
 fi