diff --git a/srcpkgs/strace/template b/srcpkgs/strace/template
index cfc17796a15..117a1cc9821 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/strace/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/strace/template
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 # Template file for 'strace'
 pkgname=strace
 version=5.12
-revision=1
+revision=2
 build_style=gnu-configure
-configure_args="--enable-silent-rules --with-libunwind"
-makedepends="libunwind-devel"
+configure_args="--enable-silent-rules $(vopt_with libunwind)"
+makedepends="$(vopt_if libunwind libunwind-devel)"
 short_desc="System Call Tracer"
 maintainer="Anthony Iliopoulos <ailiop@altatus.com>"
 license="LGPL-2.1-or-later"
@@ -13,6 +13,16 @@ changelog="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/strace/strace/master/NEWS"
 distfiles="https://github.com/strace/strace/releases/download/v${version}/strace-${version}.tar.xz"
 checksum=29171edf9d252f89c988a4c340dfdec662f458cb8c63d85431d64bab5911e7c4
 
+build_options="static libunwind"
+build_options_default="libunwind"
+vopt_conflict static libunwind # configure fails
+desc_option_static="Build static strace binary"
+desc_option_libunwind="Support printing backtraces for every syscall"
+
+if [ "$build_option_static" ]; then
+	LDFLAGS=-static
+fi
+
 case "$XBPS_TARGET_MACHINE" in
 	aarch64*|ppc64*) configure_args+=" --enable-mpers=no" ;;
 	# work around https://github.com/strace/strace/issues/133