diff --git a/MODULE.bazel b/MODULE.bazel
index 588fe0d..b73a8eb 100644
--- a/MODULE.bazel
+++ b/MODULE.bazel
@@ -85,9 +85,7 @@
     snapshot = "//build/toolchain/musl-host-gcc:sysroot.tar.xz",
 )
 
-# Register our custom CC toolchains. Order matters - more specific toolchains must be registered first.
-# (host_cc_toolchain won't care about //build/platforms/linkmode, but musl_host_toolchain won't
-# match anything unless its linkmode is set).
+# Register our custom CC toolchains.
 register_toolchains("//build/toolchain/musl-host-gcc:musl_host_toolchain")
 
 register_toolchains("//build/toolchain/llvm-efi:efi_k8_toolchain")
diff --git a/build/platforms/BUILD.bazel b/build/platforms/BUILD.bazel
index 217350a..293af9b 100644
--- a/build/platforms/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/build/platforms/BUILD.bazel
@@ -18,18 +18,6 @@
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
 
-# Linux x86_64 platform with static linking
-# (i.e. Metropolis node, scratch containers...).
-platform(
-    name = "linux_amd64_static",
-    constraint_values = [
-        "@platforms//os:linux",
-        "@platforms//cpu:x86_64",
-        "//build/platforms/linkmode:musl-static",
-    ],
-    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
-)
-
 platform(
     name = "remote_amd64",
     constraint_values = [
diff --git a/build/platforms/linkmode/BUILD.bazel b/build/platforms/linkmode/BUILD.bazel
index 8a7f99c..f749e9d 100644
--- a/build/platforms/linkmode/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/build/platforms/linkmode/BUILD.bazel
@@ -1,14 +1,7 @@
-package(
-    default_visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
-)
+load("@bazel_skylib//rules:common_settings.bzl", "bool_flag")
 
-# Minimal Metropolis node environment. No dynamic linker,
-# so everything has to be statically linked.
-constraint_value(
-    name = "musl-static",
-    constraint_setting = ":linkmode",
-)
-
-constraint_setting(
-    name = "linkmode",
+bool_flag(
+    name = "static",
+    build_setting_default = False,
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
diff --git a/build/toolchain/BUILD.bazel b/build/toolchain/BUILD.bazel
index c4c5ad8..75cd911 100644
--- a/build/toolchain/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/build/toolchain/BUILD.bazel
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@
 
 host_cc_toolchain_config(name = "host_cc_k8_toolchain_config")
 
+config_setting(
+    name = "is_dynamic",
+    flag_values = {"//build/platforms/linkmode:static": "False"},
+)
+
 toolchain(
     name = "host_cc_toolchain",
     exec_compatible_with = [
@@ -59,6 +64,9 @@
         "@platforms//os:linux",
         "@platforms//cpu:x86_64",
     ],
+    target_settings = [
+        ":is_dynamic",
+    ],
     toolchain = ":host_cc_k8_toolchain",
     toolchain_type = "@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:toolchain_type",
 )
diff --git a/build/toolchain/musl-host-gcc/BUILD.bazel b/build/toolchain/musl-host-gcc/BUILD.bazel
index 39a0eb4..fd7e553 100644
--- a/build/toolchain/musl-host-gcc/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/build/toolchain/musl-host-gcc/BUILD.bazel
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@
     ],
 )
 
+config_setting(
+    name = "is_static",
+    flag_values = {"//build/platforms/linkmode:static": "True"},
+)
+
 toolchain(
     name = "musl_host_toolchain",
     exec_compatible_with = [
@@ -51,7 +56,9 @@
     target_compatible_with = [
         "@platforms//cpu:x86_64",
         "@platforms//os:linux",
-        "//build/platforms/linkmode:musl-static",
+    ],
+    target_settings = [
+        ":is_static",
     ],
     toolchain = ":musl_host_cc_k8_toolchain",
     toolchain_type = "@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:toolchain_type",
diff --git a/osbase/build/def.bzl b/osbase/build/def.bzl
index b047d8b..c8ca9dd 100644
--- a/osbase/build/def.bzl
+++ b/osbase/build/def.bzl
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     """
     return {
         "@io_bazel_rules_go//go/config:static": True,
-        "//command_line_option:platforms": "//build/platforms:linux_amd64_static",
+        "//build/platforms/linkmode:static": True,
     }
 
 build_static_transition = transition(
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     inputs = [],
     outputs = [
         "@io_bazel_rules_go//go/config:static",
-        "//command_line_option:platforms",
+        "//build/platforms/linkmode:static",
     ],
 )
 
@@ -63,9 +63,7 @@
     "@io_bazel_rules_go//go/config:race": False,
     "@io_bazel_rules_go//go/config:pure": False,
     "@io_bazel_rules_go//go/config:static": False,
-
-    # Note: this toolchain is not actually used to perform the build.
-    "//command_line_option:platforms": "//build/platforms:linux_amd64_static",
+    "//build/platforms/linkmode:static": False,
 }
 
 def _ignore_unused_configuration_impl(_settings, _attr):