diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a7c3268d4..4d9d6255f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -24,17 +24,14 @@ ${NAME}: ${BUILD-DIR}
 
 .PHONY: clean
 clean:
-ifneq ("$(wildcard ${BUILD-DIR})","")
-	meson compile --clean -C ${BUILD-DIR}
-endif
-
-.PHONY: purge
-purge:
 ifneq ("$(wildcard ${BUILD-DIR})","")
 	rm -rf ${BUILD-DIR}
 	meson subprojects purge --confirm
 endif
 
+.PHONY: purge
+purge: clean
+
 .PHONY: install
 install: ${NAME}
 	meson install -C ${BUILD-DIR} --skip-subprojects
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 1ba07f1ad..4eeb2c0d2 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -216,9 +216,10 @@ conf.set10(
     description: 'Is linux/mctp.h include-able?'
 )
 
-conf.set(
-    'HAVE_NETDB',
-    cc.links(
+is_static = get_option('default_library') == 'static'
+have_netdb = false
+if not is_static
+  have_netdb = cc.links(
       '''#include <sys/types.h>
          #include <sys/socket.h>
          #include <netdb.h>
@@ -228,9 +229,15 @@ conf.set(
       }
       ''',
       name: 'netdb',
-    ),
+    )
+endif
+
+conf.set(
+    'HAVE_NETDB',
+    have_netdb,
     description: 'Is network address and service translation available'
 )
+
 dl_dep = dependency('dl', required: false)
 conf.set(
     'HAVE_LIBC_DLSYM',