diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 484271ff1c..18b4ace5b9 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1708,9 +1708,19 @@ exe = executable('systemd-socket-activate', 'src/activate/activate.c',
                  install : true)
 public_programs += [exe]
 
+
+if get_option('link-systemctl-shared')
+        systemctl_link_with = [libshared]
+else
+        systemctl_link_with = [libsystemd_static,
+                               libshared_static,
+                               libjournal_client,
+                               libbasic_gcrypt]
+endif
+
 exe = executable('systemctl', 'src/systemctl/systemctl.c',
                  include_directories : includes,
-                 link_with : [libshared],
+                 link_with : systemctl_link_with,
                  dependencies : [threads,
                                  libcap,
                                  libselinux,
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 85d794b08b..557d7843bc 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ option('rootprefix', type : 'string',
        description : '''override the root prefix''')
 option('link-udev-shared', type : 'boolean',
        description : 'link systemd-udev and its helpers to libsystemd-shared.so')
+option('link-systemctl-shared', type: 'boolean',
+       description : 'link systemctl against libsystemd-shared.so')
 option('static-libsystemd', type : 'combo',
        choices : ['false', 'true', 'pic', 'no-pic'],
        description : '''install a static library for libsystemd''')