diff --git a/tools/thermal/tmon/Makefile b/tools/thermal/tmon/Makefile
index 13d1876c7889..0788621c8d76 100644
--- a/tools/thermal/tmon/Makefile
+++ b/tools/thermal/tmon/Makefile
@@ -16,12 +16,21 @@ INSTALL_CONFIGFILE=install -m 644 -p
 CONFIG_FILE=
 CONFIG_PATH=
 
+# Static builds might require -ltinfo, for instance
+ifneq ($(findstring -static, $(LDFLAGS)),)
+STATIC := --static
+endif
+
+TMON_LIBS=-lm -lpthread
+TMON_LIBS += $(shell pkg-config --libs $(STATIC) panelw ncursesw 2> /dev/null || \
+		     pkg-config --libs $(STATIC) panel ncurses 2> /dev/null || \
+		     echo -lpanel -lncurses)
 
 OBJS = tmon.o tui.o sysfs.o pid.o
 OBJS +=
 
 tmon: $(OBJS) Makefile tmon.h
-	$(CC) ${CFLAGS} $(LDFLAGS) $(OBJS)  -o $(TARGET) -lm -lpanel -lncursesw -ltinfo -lpthread
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) $(OBJS)  -o $(TARGET) $(TMON_LIBS)
 
 valgrind: tmon
 	 sudo valgrind -v --track-origins=yes --tool=memcheck --leak-check=yes --show-reachable=yes --num-callers=20 --track-fds=yes ./$(TARGET)  1> /dev/null