diff --git a/compel/Makefile b/compel/Makefile
index 8920281fb..204e19f0c 100644
--- a/compel/Makefile
+++ b/compel/Makefile
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ COMPEL_SO_VERSION	:= $(COMPEL_SO_VERSION_MAJOR)$(if $(COMPEL_SO_VERSION_MINOR),.
 COMPEL_SO_VERSION_CODE	:= $(shell expr $(COMPEL_SO_VERSION_MAJOR) \* 65536 \+ $(COMPEL_SO_VERSION_MINOR) \* 256 \+ $(COMPEL_SO_VERSION_SUBLEVEL))
 ccflags-y		+= -DINCLUDEDIR=\"$(INCLUDEDIR)\"
 ccflags-y		+= -DLIBEXECDIR=\"$(LIBEXECDIR)\"
+ccflags-y		+= -DLIBDIR=\"$(LIBDIR)\"
+ccflags-y		+= -DSTATIC_LIB=\"$(LIBCOMPEL_A)\"
+ccflags-y		+= -DDYN_LIB=\"$(LIBCOMPEL_SO).$(COMPEL_SO_VERSION_MAJOR)\"
 ccflags-y		+= -iquote compel/arch/$(ARCH)/src/lib/include
 ccflags-y		+= -iquote compel/include
 ccflags-y		+= -fno-strict-aliasing
diff --git a/compel/src/main.c b/compel/src/main.c
index 2d2351753..2bfb37f8c 100644
--- a/compel/src/main.c
+++ b/compel/src/main.c
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ static int usage(int rc) {
 	fprintf(out,
 "Usage:\n"
 "  compel [--compat] includes | cflags | ldflags | plugins\n"
+"  compel [--compat] [--static] libs\n"
 "  compel -f FILE -o FILE -p NAME [-l N] hgen\n"
 "    -f, --file FILE		input (parasite object) file name\n"
 "    -o, --output FILE		output (header) file name\n"
@@ -194,17 +195,37 @@ static void print_plugins(const char *list[])
 	}
 }
 
+static int print_libs(bool is_static)
+{
+	if (uninst_root) {
+		if (!is_static) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "Compel is not installed, can "
+					"only link with static libraries "
+					"(use --static)\n");
+			return 1;
+		}
+		printf("%s/%s\n", uninst_root, STATIC_LIB);
+	}
+	else {
+		printf("%s/%s\n", LIBDIR, (is_static) ? STATIC_LIB : DYN_LIB);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	int log_level = DEFAULT_LOGLEVEL;
 	bool compat = false;
+	bool is_static = false;
 	int opt, idx;
 	char *action;
 	const char *plugins_list[] = { "std", NULL };
 
-	static const char short_opts[] = "cf:o:p:hVl:";
+	static const char short_opts[] = "csf:o:p:hVl:";
 	static struct option long_opts[] = {
 		{ "compat",	no_argument,		0, 'c' },
+		{ "static",	no_argument,		0, 's' },
 		{ "file",	required_argument,	0, 'f' },
 		{ "output",	required_argument,	0, 'o' },
 		{ "prefix",	required_argument,	0, 'p' },
@@ -225,6 +246,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		case 'c':
 			compat = true;
 			break;
+		case 's':
+			is_static = true;
+			break;
 		case 'f':
 			opts.input_filename = optarg;
 			break;
@@ -280,6 +304,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	if (!strcmp(action, "libs")) {
+		return print_libs(is_static);
+	}
+
 	if (!strcmp(action, "hgen")) {
 		if (!opts.input_filename) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Error: option --file required\n");
diff --git a/compel/test/infect/Makefile b/compel/test/infect/Makefile
index e9b96ddfd..fa966ac75 100644
--- a/compel/test/infect/Makefile
+++ b/compel/test/infect/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ CC	:= gcc
 CFLAGS	?= -O2 -g -Wall -Werror
 
 COMPEL		:= ../../../compel/compel-host
-COMPEL_LIBRARY	:= ../../../compel/libcompel.a
 
 all: victim spy
 
@@ -17,7 +16,7 @@ victim: victim.c
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $^
 
 spy: spy.c parasite.h
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(shell $(COMPEL) includes) -o $@ $< $(COMPEL_LIBRARY)
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(shell $(COMPEL) includes) -o $@ $< $(shell $(COMPEL) --static libs)
 
 parasite.h: parasite.po
 	$(COMPEL) hgen -f $^ -l 4		\
diff --git a/compel/test/rsys/Makefile b/compel/test/rsys/Makefile
index 3c5ef5bba..3babda18f 100644
--- a/compel/test/rsys/Makefile
+++ b/compel/test/rsys/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ CC	:= gcc
 CFLAGS	?= -O2 -g -Wall -Werror
 
 COMPEL		:= ../../../compel/compel-host
-COMPEL_LIBRARY	:= ../../../compel/libcompel.a
 
 all: victim spy
 
@@ -14,4 +13,4 @@ victim: victim.c
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $^
 
 spy: spy.c
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(shell $(COMPEL) includes) -o $@ $^ $(COMPEL_LIBRARY)
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(shell $(COMPEL) includes) -o $@ $^ $(shell $(COMPEL) --static libs)
diff --git a/criu/Makefile b/criu/Makefile
index c44d3b0a2..969716803 100644
--- a/criu/Makefile
+++ b/criu/Makefile
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ export ARCH_DIR PIE_DIR
 ifeq ($(filter clean mrproper,$(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
 	COMPEL_UAPI_INCLUDES	:= $(shell $(COMPEL_BIN) includes)
 	export COMPEL_UAPI_INCLUDES
+	COMPEL_LIBS		:= $(shell $(COMPEL_BIN) --static libs)
 endif
 
 #
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ PROGRAM-BUILTINS	+= images/built-in.o
 PROGRAM-BUILTINS	+= $(obj)/built-in.o
 PROGRAM-BUILTINS	+= $(ARCH-LIB)
 PROGRAM-BUILTINS	+= soccr/libsoccr.a
-PROGRAM-BUILTINS	+= compel/libcompel.a
+PROGRAM-BUILTINS	+= $(COMPEL_LIBS)
 
 $(obj)/built-in.o: pie
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) $(call build-as,Makefile.crtools,criu) all