diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 8d2b83069b..82b7b8ad98 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1083,6 +1083,34 @@ LTDL_CONVENIENCE
 LT_INIT([dlopen win32-dll])
 ])
 
+# What's the suffix of shared libraries?  Inspired by generated
+# Libtool code (even though we don't support several of these
+# platforms, there didn't seem to be any harm in leaving in some of
+# them, alhtough I did remove some that we have never/will never
+# support, like OS/2).
+case $host_os in
+cygwin* | mingw* | pw32* | cegcc*)
+    OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX=dll
+    ;;
+darwin* | rhapsody*)
+    OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX=dylib
+    ;;
+hpux9* | hpux10* | hpux11*)
+    case $host_cpu in
+        ia64*)
+        OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX=so
+        ;;
+    *)
+        OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX=sl
+        ;;
+    esac
+    ;;
+*)
+   OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX=so
+   ;;
+esac
+AC_SUBST(OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX)
+
 OPAL_SETUP_LIBLTDL
 
 
diff --git a/ompi/Makefile.am b/ompi/Makefile.am
index fb1d4ee8f5..6ef356046d 100644
--- a/ompi/Makefile.am
+++ b/ompi/Makefile.am
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ libmpi_la_LIBADD = \
         $(MCA_ompi_FRAMEWORK_LIBS) \
         $(OMPI_MPIEXT_C_LIBS) \
         $(OMPI_LIBMPI_EXTRA_LIBS) \
-        $(top_ompi_builddir)/orte/libopen-rte-lt.la
+        $(top_ompi_builddir)/orte/libopen-rte.la
 libmpi_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(libmpi_la_LIBADD)
 libmpi_la_LDFLAGS = \
        -version-info $(libmpi_so_version) \
diff --git a/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpic++-wrapper-data.txt.in b/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpic++-wrapper-data.txt.in
index 279c8b484f..4138edccd1 100644
--- a/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpic++-wrapper-data.txt.in
+++ b/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpic++-wrapper-data.txt.in
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ compiler_flags_prefix=@OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CXXFLAGS_PREFIX@
 compiler_flags=@OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CXXFLAGS@
 linker_flags=@OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LDFLAGS@
 libs=@OMPI_WRAPPER_CXX_LIB@ -lmpi @OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+libs_static=@OMPI_WRAPPER_CXX_LIB@ -lmpi @OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@ -lopen-rte @ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@ -lopen-pal @OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+dyn_lib_file=libmpi.@OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX@
+static_lib_file=libmpi.a
 required_file=@OMPI_WRAPPER_CXX_REQUIRED_FILE@
 includedir=${includedir}
 libdir=${libdir}
diff --git a/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpicc-wrapper-data.txt.in b/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpicc-wrapper-data.txt.in
index ea91e25a6d..a772485520 100644
--- a/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpicc-wrapper-data.txt.in
+++ b/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpicc-wrapper-data.txt.in
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ compiler_flags_prefix=@OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CFLAGS_PREFIX@
 compiler_flags=@OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CFLAGS@
 linker_flags=@OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LDFLAGS@
 libs=-lmpi @OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+libs_static=-lmpi @OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@ -lopen-rte @ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@ -lopen-pal @OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+dyn_lib_file=libmpi.@OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX@
+static_lib_file=libmpi.a
 required_file=
 includedir=${includedir}
 libdir=${libdir}
diff --git a/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpifort-wrapper-data.txt.in b/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpifort-wrapper-data.txt.in
index 5eac9108a3..42e0a2519a 100644
--- a/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpifort-wrapper-data.txt.in
+++ b/ompi/tools/wrappers/mpifort-wrapper-data.txt.in
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ preprocessor_flags=
 compiler_flags=@OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_FCFLAGS@ 
 linker_flags=@OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LDFLAGS@
 libs=@OMPI_FORTRAN_USEMPIF08_LIB@ @OMPI_FORTRAN_USEMPI_LIB@ -lmpi_mpifh -lmpi -lopen-rte -lopen-pal @OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+libs_static=@OMPI_FORTRAN_USEMPIF08_LIB@ @OMPI_FORTRAN_USEMPI_LIB@ -lmpi_mpifh -lmpi @OMPI_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@ -lopen-rte @ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@ -lopen-pal @OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+dyn_lib_file=libmpi.@OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX@
+static_lib_file=libmpi.a
 required_file=@OMPI_WRAPPER_FORTRAN_REQUIRED_FILE@
 includedir=${includedir}
 libdir=${libdir}
diff --git a/opal/Makefile.am b/opal/Makefile.am
index 57aea7243a..da7740442c 100644
--- a/opal/Makefile.am
+++ b/opal/Makefile.am
@@ -86,17 +86,3 @@ include mca/Makefile.am
 include win32/Makefile.am
 include tools/Makefile.am
 include dss/Makefile.am
-
-# Set the convenience library to be the same as the non-convenience
-# library, but a) it's marked as "noinst", so LT knows it's a
-# convenience library, and b) no .so version number is assigned here.
-# Note that we only need to make the convenience library if the ORTE
-# project is being built (i.e., if there is an upper layer that needs
-# to slurp in OPAL as a convenience library).
-
-if PROJECT_ORTE
-noinst_LTLIBRARIES += libopen-pal-lt.la
-endif
-libopen_pal_lt_la_SOURCES = $(libopen_pal_la_SOURCES)
-libopen_pal_lt_la_LIBADD = $(libopen_pal_la_LIBADD)
-libopen_pal_lt_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(libopen_pal_la_DEPENDENCIES)
diff --git a/opal/tools/wrappers/opal_wrapper.c b/opal/tools/wrappers/opal_wrapper.c
index 773a16d4e9..65f6388d7e 100644
--- a/opal/tools/wrappers/opal_wrapper.c
+++ b/opal/tools/wrappers/opal_wrapper.c
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ struct options_data_t {
     char **comp_flags_prefix;
     char **link_flags;
     char **libs;
+    char **libs_static;
+    char *dyn_lib_file;
+    char *static_lib_file;
     char *req_file;
     char *path_includedir;
     char *path_libdir;
@@ -100,6 +103,7 @@ static int default_data_idx = -1;
 #define COMP_WANT_COMPILE  0x010
 #define COMP_WANT_LINK     0x020
 #define COMP_WANT_PMPI     0x040
+#define COMP_WANT_STATIC   0x080
 
 static void
 options_data_init(struct options_data_t *data)
@@ -124,6 +128,10 @@ options_data_init(struct options_data_t *data)
     data->link_flags[0] = NULL;
     data->libs = (char **) malloc(sizeof(char*));
     data->libs[0] = NULL;
+    data->libs_static = (char **) malloc(sizeof(char*));
+    data->libs_static[0] = NULL;
+    data->dyn_lib_file = NULL;
+    data->static_lib_file = NULL;
     data->req_file = NULL;
     data->path_includedir = NULL;
     data->path_libdir = NULL;
@@ -149,6 +157,9 @@ options_data_free(struct options_data_t *data)
     opal_argv_free(data->comp_flags_prefix);
     opal_argv_free(data->link_flags);
     opal_argv_free(data->libs);
+    opal_argv_free(data->libs_static);
+    if (NULL != data->dyn_lib_file) free(data->dyn_lib_file);
+    if (NULL != data->static_lib_file) free(data->static_lib_file);
     if (NULL != data->req_file) free(data->req_file);
     if (NULL != data->path_includedir) free(data->path_includedir);
     if (NULL != data->path_libdir) free(data->path_libdir);
@@ -323,6 +334,16 @@ data_callback(const char *key, const char *value)
                          opal_argv_count(options_data[parse_options_idx].libs),
                          values);
         opal_argv_free(values);
+    } else if (0 == strcmp(key, "libs_static")) {
+        char **values = opal_argv_split(value, ' ');
+        opal_argv_insert(&options_data[parse_options_idx].libs_static,
+                         opal_argv_count(options_data[parse_options_idx].libs_static),
+                         values);
+        opal_argv_free(values);
+    } else if (0 == strcmp(key, "dyn_lib_file")) {
+        if (NULL != value) options_data[parse_options_idx].dyn_lib_file = strdup(value);
+    } else if (0 == strcmp(key, "static_lib_file")) {
+        if (NULL != value) options_data[parse_options_idx].static_lib_file = strdup(value);
     } else if (0 == strcmp(key, "required_file")) {
         if (NULL != value) options_data[parse_options_idx].req_file = strdup(value);
     } else if (0 == strcmp(key, "project_short")) {
@@ -696,6 +717,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
             /* remove element from user_argv */
             opal_argv_delete(&user_argc, &user_argv, i, 1);
             --i;
+        } else if (0 == strcmp(user_argv[i], "-static") ||
+                   0 == strcmp(user_argv[i], "--static") ||
+                   0 == strcmp(user_argv[i], "-Bstatic") ||
+                   0 == strcmp(user_argv[i], "-Wl,-static") ||
+                   0 == strcmp(user_argv[i], "-Wl,--static") ||
+                   0 == strcmp(user_argv[i], "-Wl,-Bstatic")) {
+            flags |= COMP_WANT_STATIC;
         } else if ('-' != user_argv[i][0]) {
             disable_flags = false;
             flags |= COMP_SHOW_ERROR;
@@ -793,10 +821,66 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     /* link flags and libs */
     if (flags & COMP_WANT_LINK) {
+        bool have_static_lib;
+        bool have_dyn_lib;
+        bool use_static_libs;
+        char *filename;
+        struct stat buf;
+
         opal_argv_insert(&exec_argv, exec_argc, options_data[user_data_idx].link_flags);
         exec_argc = opal_argv_count(exec_argv);
 
-        opal_argv_insert(&exec_argv, exec_argc, options_data[user_data_idx].libs);
+        /* Are we linking statically?  If so, decide what libraries to
+           list.  It depends on two factors:
+
+           1. Was --static (etc.) specified?
+           2. Does OMPI have static, dynamic, or both libraries installed?
+
+           Here's a matrix showing what we'll do in all 6 cases:
+
+           What's installed    --static    no --static
+           ----------------    ----------  -----------
+           ompi .so libs       -lmpi       -lmpi
+           ompi .a libs        all         all
+           ompi both libs      all         -lmpi
+
+        */
+
+        filename = opal_os_path( false, options_data[user_data_idx].path_libdir, options_data[user_data_idx].static_lib_file, NULL );
+        if (0 == stat(filename, &buf)) {
+            have_static_lib = true;
+        } else {
+            have_static_lib = false;
+        }
+
+        filename = opal_os_path( false, options_data[user_data_idx].path_libdir, options_data[user_data_idx].dyn_lib_file, NULL );
+        if (0 == stat(filename, &buf)) {
+            have_dyn_lib = true;
+        } else {
+            have_dyn_lib = false;
+        }
+
+        /* Determine which set of libs to use: dynamic or static.  Be
+           pedantic to make the code easy to read. */
+        if (flags & COMP_WANT_STATIC) {
+            if (have_static_lib) {
+                use_static_libs = true;
+            } else {
+                use_static_libs = false;
+            }
+        } else {
+            if (have_dyn_lib) {
+                use_static_libs = false;
+            } else {
+                use_static_libs = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (use_static_libs) {
+            opal_argv_insert(&exec_argv, exec_argc, options_data[user_data_idx].libs_static);
+        } else {
+            opal_argv_insert(&exec_argv, exec_argc, options_data[user_data_idx].libs);
+        }
         exec_argc = opal_argv_count(exec_argv);
     }
 
diff --git a/opal/tools/wrappers/opalc++-wrapper-data.txt.in b/opal/tools/wrappers/opalc++-wrapper-data.txt.in
index 3224ff5587..7dde9db2b4 100644
--- a/opal/tools/wrappers/opalc++-wrapper-data.txt.in
+++ b/opal/tools/wrappers/opalc++-wrapper-data.txt.in
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ compiler_flags_prefix=@OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CXXFLAGS_PREFIX@
 compiler_flags=@OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CXXFLAGS@
 linker_flags=@OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LDFLAGS@
 libs=-lopen-pal @OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+libs_static=-lopen-pal @OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+dyn_lib_file=libopen-pal.@OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX@
+static_lib_file=libopen-pal.a
 required_file=
 includedir=${includedir}
 libdir=${libdir}
diff --git a/opal/tools/wrappers/opalcc-wrapper-data.txt.in b/opal/tools/wrappers/opalcc-wrapper-data.txt.in
index 36d68dcb81..e079260395 100644
--- a/opal/tools/wrappers/opalcc-wrapper-data.txt.in
+++ b/opal/tools/wrappers/opalcc-wrapper-data.txt.in
@@ -11,13 +11,16 @@ version=@OPAL_VERSION@
 language=C
 compiler_env=CC
 compiler_flags_env=CFLAGS
-compiler=@OPAL_WRAPPER_CC@
+compiler=@WRAPPER_CC@
 extra_includes=@OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_INCLUDES@
 preprocessor_flags=@OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CPPFLAGS@
 compiler_flags_prefix=@OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CFLAGS_PREFIX@
 compiler_flags=@OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CFLAGS@
 linker_flags=@OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LDFLAGS@
 libs=-lopen-pal @OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+libs_static=-lopen-pal @OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+dyn_lib_file=libopen-pal.@OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX@
+static_lib_file=libopen-pal.a
 required_file=
 includedir=${includedir}
 libdir=${libdir}
diff --git a/orte/Makefile.am b/orte/Makefile.am
index d9153c6eb9..79a01503c5 100644
--- a/orte/Makefile.am
+++ b/orte/Makefile.am
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ lib_LTLIBRARIES = libopen-rte.la
 libopen_rte_la_SOURCES =
 libopen_rte_la_LIBADD = \
 	$(MCA_orte_FRAMEWORK_LIBS) \
-	$(top_ompi_builddir)/opal/libopen-pal-lt.la
+	$(top_ompi_builddir)/opal/libopen-pal.la
 libopen_rte_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(libopen_rte_la_LIBADD)
 libopen_rte_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info $(libopen_rte_so_version)
 
@@ -63,17 +63,3 @@ include tools/Makefile.am
 include orted/Makefile.am
 include test/mpi/Makefile.include
 include test/system/Makefile.include
-
-# Set the convenience library to be the same as the non-convenience
-# library, but a) it's marked as "noinst", so LT knows it's a
-# convenience library, and b) no .so version number is assigned here.
-# Note that we only need to make the convenience library if the OMPI
-# project is being built (i.e., if there is an upper layer that needs
-# to slurp in ORTE as a convenience library).
-
-if PROJECT_ORTE
-noinst_LTLIBRARIES += libopen-rte-lt.la
-endif
-libopen_rte_lt_la_SOURCES = $(libopen_rte_la_SOURCES)
-libopen_rte_lt_la_LIBADD = $(libopen_rte_la_LIBADD)
-libopen_rte_lt_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(libopen_rte_la_DEPENDENCIES)
diff --git a/orte/tools/wrappers/ortec++-wrapper-data.txt.in b/orte/tools/wrappers/ortec++-wrapper-data.txt.in
index b262d12089..b3144f0b4e 100644
--- a/orte/tools/wrappers/ortec++-wrapper-data.txt.in
+++ b/orte/tools/wrappers/ortec++-wrapper-data.txt.in
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ compiler_flags_prefix=@ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CXXFLAGS_PREFIX@
 compiler_flags=@ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CXXFLAGS@
 linker_flags=@ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LDFLAGS@
 libs=-lopen-rte @ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+libs_static=-lopen-rte @ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@ -lopen-pal @OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+dyn_lib_file=libopen-rte.@OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX@
+static_lib_file=libopen-rte.a
 required_file=
 includedir=${includedir}
 libdir=${libdir}
diff --git a/orte/tools/wrappers/ortecc-wrapper-data.txt.in b/orte/tools/wrappers/ortecc-wrapper-data.txt.in
index 91864a2ea5..784bb5ea5e 100644
--- a/orte/tools/wrappers/ortecc-wrapper-data.txt.in
+++ b/orte/tools/wrappers/ortecc-wrapper-data.txt.in
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ compiler_flags_prefix=@ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CFLAGS_PREFIX@
 compiler_flags=@ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_CFLAGS@
 linker_flags=@ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LDFLAGS@
 libs=-lopen-rte @ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+libs_static=-lopen-rte @ORTE_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@ -lopen-pal @OPAL_WRAPPER_EXTRA_LIBS@
+dyn_lib_file=libopen-rte.@OPAL_DYN_LIB_SUFFIX@
+static_lib_file=libopen-rte.a
 required_file=
 includedir=${includedir}
 libdir=${libdir}