diff --git a/gnu/packages/mail.scm b/gnu/packages/mail.scm
index 7094a9c081..0794fd921c 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/mail.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/mail.scm
@@ -337,6 +337,7 @@ (define-public mailutils
                       (string-append "\"" (which "sh") "\""))))))
            #:configure-flags
            #~(list "--sysconfdir=/etc"
+                   "--disable-static"
 
                    ;; Add "/X.Y" to the installation directory.
                    (string-append "--with-guile-site-dir="