diff --git a/src/core/meson.build b/src/core/meson.build
index af9928a599..55f11d578e 100644
--- a/src/core/meson.build
+++ b/src/core/meson.build
@@ -110,17 +110,13 @@ load_fragment_gperf_nulstr_c = custom_target(
 
 libcore_name = 'systemd-core-@0@'.format(shared_lib_tag)
 
-libcore = shared_library(
+libcore_static = static_library(
         libcore_name,
         libcore_sources,
         load_fragment_gperf_c,
         load_fragment_gperf_nulstr_c,
         include_directories : includes,
         c_args : ['-fvisibility=default'],
-        link_args : ['-shared',
-                     '-Wl,--version-script=' + libshared_sym_path],
-        link_depends : libshared_sym_path,
-        link_with : libshared,
         dependencies : [libacl,
                         libapparmor,
                         libaudit,
@@ -135,6 +131,16 @@ libcore = shared_library(
                         libselinux,
                         threads,
                         userspace],
+        build_by_default : false)
+
+libcore = shared_library(
+        libcore_name,
+        c_args : ['-fvisibility=default'],
+        link_args : ['-shared',
+                     '-Wl,--version-script=' + libshared_sym_path],
+        link_depends : libshared_sym_path,
+        link_whole: libcore_static,
+        link_with : libshared,
         install : true,
         install_dir : pkglibdir)