diff --git a/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.c b/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.c
index 7250e04ac..c74bf26ff 100644
--- a/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.c
+++ b/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.c
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ void lvm_do_backup(const char *vgname)
 /* Called to initialise the LVM context of the daemon */
 int init_lvm(int using_gulm)
 {
-	if (!(cmd = create_toolcontext(0, 1))) {
+	if (!(cmd = create_toolcontext(1))) {
 		log_error("Failed to allocate command context");
 		return 0;
 	}
diff --git a/lib/commands/toolcontext.c b/lib/commands/toolcontext.c
index cda905796..0a98325eb 100644
--- a/lib/commands/toolcontext.c
+++ b/lib/commands/toolcontext.c
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@ static int _init_formats(struct cmd_context *cmd)
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBDL
 	/* Load any formats in shared libs if not static */
-	if (!cmd->is_static &&
+	if (!is_static() &&
 	    (cn = find_config_tree_node(cmd, "global/format_libraries"))) {
 
 		struct config_value *cv;
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@ static int _init_segtypes(struct cmd_context *cmd)
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBDL
 	/* Load any formats in shared libs unless static */
-	if (!cmd->is_static &&
+	if (!is_static() &&
 	    (cn = find_config_tree_node(cmd, "global/segment_libraries"))) {
 
 		struct config_value *cv;
@@ -998,8 +998,7 @@ static void _init_globals(struct cmd_context *cmd)
 }
 
 /* Entry point */
-struct cmd_context *create_toolcontext(unsigned is_static,
-				       unsigned is_long_lived)
+struct cmd_context *create_toolcontext(unsigned is_long_lived)
 {
 	struct cmd_context *cmd;
 
@@ -1021,7 +1020,6 @@ struct cmd_context *create_toolcontext(unsigned is_static,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	memset(cmd, 0, sizeof(*cmd));
-	cmd->is_static = is_static;
 	cmd->is_long_lived = is_long_lived;
 	cmd->handles_missing_pvs = 0;
 	cmd->hosttags = 0;
diff --git a/lib/commands/toolcontext.h b/lib/commands/toolcontext.h
index 3c7dfea56..7d2aef9ca 100644
--- a/lib/commands/toolcontext.h
+++ b/lib/commands/toolcontext.h
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ struct cmd_context {
 	char *cmd_line;
 	struct command *command;
 	char **argv;
-	unsigned is_static:1;	/* Static binary? */
 	unsigned is_long_lived:1;	/* Optimises persistent_filter handling */
 	unsigned handles_missing_pvs:1;
 	unsigned partial_activation:1;
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ struct cmd_context {
 	char sysfs_dir[PATH_MAX];
 };
 
-struct cmd_context *create_toolcontext(unsigned is_static, unsigned is_long_lived);
+struct cmd_context *create_toolcontext(unsigned is_long_lived);
 void destroy_toolcontext(struct cmd_context *cmd);
 int refresh_toolcontext(struct cmd_context *cmd);
 int config_files_changed(struct cmd_context *cmd);
diff --git a/lib/locking/locking.c b/lib/locking/locking.c
index aa008ff09..b5871ae11 100644
--- a/lib/locking/locking.c
+++ b/lib/locking/locking.c
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ int init_locking(int type, struct cmd_context *cmd)
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBDL
 	case 2:
-		if (!cmd->is_static) {
+		if (!is_static()) {
 			log_very_verbose("External locking selected.");
 			if (init_external_locking(&_locking, cmd))
 				return 1;
diff --git a/lib/lvm2.h b/lib/lvm2.h
index 75c002a15..b18ceadcc 100644
--- a/lib/lvm2.h
+++ b/lib/lvm2.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
  */
 struct arg;
 struct cmd_context;
-struct cmd_context *create_toolcontext(unsigned is_static, unsigned is_long_lived);
+struct cmd_context *create_toolcontext(unsigned is_long_lived);
 void destroy_toolcontext(struct cmd_context *cmd);
 
 /*
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ lvm_handle_t lvm2_create(void);
  * NULL: Fail - unable to initialise handle.
  * non-NULL: Success - valid LVM2 handle returned
  */
-#define lvm2_create(X) create_toolcontext(0,1)
+#define lvm2_create(X) create_toolcontext(1)
 
 /*
  * lvm2_destroy
diff --git a/lib/misc/lvm-globals.c b/lib/misc/lvm-globals.c
index 45114c8ee..870b2d7c5 100644
--- a/lib/misc/lvm-globals.c
+++ b/lib/misc/lvm-globals.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ static int _mirror_in_sync = 0;
 static int _dmeventd_monitor = DEFAULT_DMEVENTD_MONITOR;
 static int _ignore_suspended_devices = 0;
 static int _error_message_produced = 0;
+static unsigned _is_static = 0;
 
 void init_verbose(int level)
 {
@@ -106,6 +107,11 @@ void init_cmd_name(int status)
 	_log_cmd_name = status;
 }
 
+void init_is_static(unsigned value)
+{
+	_is_static = value;
+}
+
 void set_cmd_name(const char *cmd)
 {
 	strncpy(_cmd_name, cmd, sizeof(_cmd_name));
@@ -199,3 +205,8 @@ int debug_level()
 {
 	return _debug_level;
 }
+
+unsigned is_static(void)
+{
+	return _is_static;
+}
diff --git a/lib/misc/lvm-globals.h b/lib/misc/lvm-globals.h
index 8c354f5dc..8209b3ec7 100644
--- a/lib/misc/lvm-globals.h
+++ b/lib/misc/lvm-globals.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ void init_mirror_in_sync(int in_sync);
 void init_dmeventd_monitor(int reg);
 void init_ignore_suspended_devices(int ignore);
 void init_error_message_produced(int produced);
+void init_is_static(unsigned value);
 
 void set_cmd_name(const char *cmd_name);
 
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ int security_level(void);
 int mirror_in_sync(void);
 int ignore_suspended_devices(void);
 const char *log_command_name(void);
+unsigned is_static(void);
 
 #define DMEVENTD_MONITOR_IGNORE -1
 int dmeventd_monitor_mode(void);
diff --git a/lib/misc/sharedlib.c b/lib/misc/sharedlib.c
index 7622e47d8..cab2909e6 100644
--- a/lib/misc/sharedlib.c
+++ b/lib/misc/sharedlib.c
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ void *load_shared_library(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *libname,
 	char path[PATH_MAX];
 	void *library;
 
-	if (cmd->is_static) {
+	if (is_static()) {
 		log_error("Not loading shared %s library %s in static mode.",
 			  desc, libname);
 		return NULL;
diff --git a/tools/lvchange.c b/tools/lvchange.c
index 3c2fa19a2..66b487451 100644
--- a/tools/lvchange.c
+++ b/tools/lvchange.c
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ static int lvchange_single(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct logical_volume *lv,
 	}
 
 	init_dmeventd_monitor(arg_int_value(cmd, monitor_ARG,
-					    (cmd->is_static || arg_count(cmd, ignoremonitoring_ARG)) ?
+					    (is_static() || arg_count(cmd, ignoremonitoring_ARG)) ?
 					    DMEVENTD_MONITOR_IGNORE : DEFAULT_DMEVENTD_MONITOR));
 
 	/* access permission change */
diff --git a/tools/lvm-static.c b/tools/lvm-static.c
index b0c1e12a3..822989f9a 100644
--- a/tools/lvm-static.c
+++ b/tools/lvm-static.c
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	return lvm2_main(argc, argv, 1);
+	init_is_static(1);
+	return lvm2_main(argc, argv);
 }
 
 int lvm_shell(struct cmd_context *cmd __attribute((unused)),
diff --git a/tools/lvm.c b/tools/lvm.c
index 3576515df..e1f7900ca 100644
--- a/tools/lvm.c
+++ b/tools/lvm.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	return lvm2_main(argc, argv, 0);
+	return lvm2_main(argc, argv);
 }
 
 #ifdef READLINE_SUPPORT
diff --git a/tools/lvm2cmdline.h b/tools/lvm2cmdline.h
index f1741792c..f4855e73d 100644
--- a/tools/lvm2cmdline.h
+++ b/tools/lvm2cmdline.h
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ struct cmdline_context {
         int interactive;
 };
 
-int lvm2_main(int argc, char **argv, unsigned is_static);
+int lvm2_main(int argc, char **argv);
 
 void *cmdlib_lvm2_init(unsigned is_static);
 void lvm_fin(struct cmd_context *cmd);
 
-struct cmd_context *init_lvm(unsigned is_static);
+struct cmd_context *init_lvm(void);
 void lvm_register_commands(void);
 int lvm_split(char *str, int *argc, char **argv, int max);
 int lvm_run_command(struct cmd_context *cmd, int argc, char **argv);
diff --git a/tools/lvmcmdlib.c b/tools/lvmcmdlib.c
index 6507accd5..1a90c927c 100644
--- a/tools/lvmcmdlib.c
+++ b/tools/lvmcmdlib.c
@@ -28,13 +28,14 @@
 #include <time.h>
 #include <sys/resource.h>
 
-void *cmdlib_lvm2_init(unsigned is_static)
+void *cmdlib_lvm2_init(unsigned static_compile)
 {
 	struct cmd_context *cmd;
 
 	lvm_register_commands();
 
-	if (!(cmd = init_lvm(is_static)))
+	init_is_static(static_compile);
+	if (!(cmd = init_lvm()))
 		return NULL;
 
 	return (void *) cmd;
diff --git a/tools/lvmcmdline.c b/tools/lvmcmdline.c
index 95dcfbeb0..f4a19e5f4 100644
--- a/tools/lvmcmdline.c
+++ b/tools/lvmcmdline.c
@@ -1147,13 +1147,13 @@ static void _close_stray_fds(const char *command)
 				  parent_cmdline);
 }
 
-struct cmd_context *init_lvm(unsigned is_static)
+struct cmd_context *init_lvm(void)
 {
 	struct cmd_context *cmd;
 
 	_cmdline.the_args = &_the_args[0];
 
-	if (!(cmd = create_toolcontext(is_static, 0)))
+	if (!(cmd = create_toolcontext(0)))
 		return_NULL;
 
 	return cmd;
@@ -1272,7 +1272,7 @@ static void _nonroot_warning(void)
 		log_warn("WARNING: Running as a non-root user. Functionality may be unavailable.");
 }
 
-int lvm2_main(int argc, char **argv, unsigned is_static)
+int lvm2_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	const char *base;
 	int ret, alias = 0;
@@ -1285,7 +1285,7 @@ int lvm2_main(int argc, char **argv, unsigned is_static)
 
 	_close_stray_fds(base);
 
-	if (is_static && strcmp(base, "lvm.static") &&
+	if (is_static() && strcmp(base, "lvm.static") &&
 	    path_exists(LVM_SHARED_PATH) &&
 	    !getenv("LVM_DID_EXEC")) {
 		setenv("LVM_DID_EXEC", base, 1);
@@ -1293,7 +1293,7 @@ int lvm2_main(int argc, char **argv, unsigned is_static)
 		unsetenv("LVM_DID_EXEC");
 	}
 
-	if (!(cmd = init_lvm(is_static)))
+	if (!(cmd = init_lvm()))
 		return -1;
 
 	cmd->argv = argv;
diff --git a/tools/vgchange.c b/tools/vgchange.c
index f2df83649..f5d019713 100644
--- a/tools/vgchange.c
+++ b/tools/vgchange.c
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ static int vgchange_single(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *vg_name,
 	}
 
 	init_dmeventd_monitor(arg_int_value(cmd, monitor_ARG,
-					    (cmd->is_static || arg_count(cmd, ignoremonitoring_ARG)) ?
+					    (is_static() || arg_count(cmd, ignoremonitoring_ARG)) ?
 					    DMEVENTD_MONITOR_IGNORE : DEFAULT_DMEVENTD_MONITOR));
 
 	if (arg_count(cmd, available_ARG))