diff --git a/acconfig.h b/acconfig.h
index c4561e84..cb7bcba0 100644
--- a/acconfig.h
+++ b/acconfig.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #undef HAVE_POPT_H
 #undef HAVE_SOCKS_H
 #undef HAVE_PL_PERL
+#undef HAVE_STATIC_PERL
 
 /* macros/curses checks */
 #undef HAS_CURSES
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index a3b05df1..85bb2fb9 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -17,25 +17,25 @@ AC_CHECK_HEADERS(string.h stdlib.h unistd.h dirent.h sys/ioctl.h libintl.h)
 AC_ARG_WITH(socks,
 [  --with-socks            Build with socks support],
 	if test x$withval = xyes; then
-    		want_socks=yes
+		want_socks=yes
 	else
-    		if test "x$withval" = xno; then
-        		want_socks=no
-    		else
-        		want_socks=yes
-    		fi
+		if test "x$withval" = xno; then
+			want_socks=no
+		else
+			want_socks=yes
+		fi
 	fi,
 	want_socks=no)
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(textui,
 [  --with-textui           Build text frontend],
 	if test x$withval = xyes; then
-    		want_textui=yes
+		want_textui=yes
 	else
 		if test "x$withval" = xno; then
 			want_textui=no
 		else
-        		want_textui=yes
+			want_textui=yes
 		fi
 	fi,
 	want_textui=yes)
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(textui,
 AC_ARG_WITH(bot,
 [  --with-bot              Build irssi-bot],
 	if test x$withval = xyes; then
-    		want_irssibot=yes
+		want_irssibot=yes
 	else
 		if test "x$withval" = xno; then
 			want_irssibot=no
 		else
-        		want_irssibot=yes
+			want_irssibot=yes
 		fi
 	fi,
 	want_irssibot=no)
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(bot,
 AC_ARG_WITH(proxy,
 [  --with-proxy            Build irssi-proxy],
 	if test x$withval = xyes; then
-    		want_irssiproxy=yes
+		want_irssiproxy=yes
 	else
 		if test "x$withval" = xno; then
 			want_irssiproxy=no
 		else
-        		want_irssiproxy=yes
+			want_irssiproxy=yes
 		fi
 	fi,
 	want_irssiproxy=no)
@@ -77,30 +77,43 @@ else
 	PERL_LIB_DIR="$prefix"
 fi
 
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(perl,
-[  --enable-perl[=dir]     Enable Perl scripting, you can specify the Perl libraries installation path],
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(perl-path,
+[  --enable-perl-path=dir  Specify where to install the Perl libraries for irssi],
 	if test x$enableval = xyes; then
-    		want_perl=yes
+		want_perl=yes
 	else
 		if test "x$enableval" = xno; then
 			want_perl=no
 		else
-        		want_perl=yes
+			want_perl=yes
 			PERL_LIB_DIR="$enableval"
 			perl_lib_dir_given=yes
 		fi
 	fi,
 	want_perl=yes)
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(perl,
+[  --enable-perl[=yes|no|static]  Build with Perl support - also specifies
+                          if it should be built into main irssi binary
+                          (static) or as module (default)],
+	if test x$enableval = xyes; then
+		want_perl=yes
+	elif test x$enableval = xstatic; then
+		want_perl=static
+	else
+		want_perl=no
+	fi,
+	want_perl=yes)
+
 AC_ARG_WITH(servertest,
 [  --with-servertest       Build servertest],
 	if test x$withval = xyes; then
-    		want_servertest=yes
+		want_servertest=yes
 	else
 		if test "x$withval" = xno; then
 			want_servertest=no
 		else
-        		want_servertest=yes
+			want_servertest=yes
 		fi
 	fi,
 	want_servertest=no)
@@ -110,24 +123,24 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(memdebug,
 	if test x$enableval = xyes; then
     		want_memdebug=yes
 	else
-    		if test "x$enableval" = xno; then
-        		want_memdebug=no
-    		else
-        		want_memdebug=yes
-    		fi
+		if test "x$enableval" = xno; then
+			want_memdebug=no
+		else
+			want_memdebug=yes
+		fi
 	fi,
 	want_memdebug=no)
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(ipv6,
 [  --enable-ipv6           Enable IPv6 support],
 	if test x$enableval = xyes; then
-    		want_ipv6=yes
+		want_ipv6=yes
 	else
-    		if test "x$enableval" = xno; then
-        		want_ipv6=no
-    		else
-        		want_ipv6=yes
-    		fi
+		if test "x$enableval" = xno; then
+			want_ipv6=no
+		else
+			want_ipv6=yes
+		fi
 	fi,
 	want_ipv6=no)
 
@@ -190,11 +203,10 @@ dnl **
 
 AM_PATH_GLIB(1.2.0,,, gmodule)
 if test "x$GLIB_LIBS" = "x"; then
-	AC_ERROR([GLib is required to build Irssi])
+	AC_ERROR([GLib is required to build irssi])
 fi
 
 PROG_LIBS="$PROG_LIBS $GLIB_LIBS"
-AC_SUBST(PROG_LIBS)
 
 dnl **
 dnl ** curses checks
@@ -237,7 +249,7 @@ else
 fi
 
 AC_PATH_PROG(sedpath, sed)
-if test "$want_perl" = "yes"; then
+if test "$want_perl" != "no"; then
 	AC_PATH_PROG(perlpath, perl)
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING(for Perl compile flags)
 
@@ -246,7 +258,12 @@ if test "$want_perl" = "yes"; then
 		AC_MSG_RESULT([not found, building without Perl.])
 		want_perl=no
 	else
-		PERL_LDFLAGS="`$perlpath -MExtUtils::Embed -e ldopts` "
+		PERL_LDFLAGS="`$perlpath -MExtUtils::Embed -e ldopts` 2>/dev/null"
+
+		if test "$want_perl" != "static"; then
+			dnl * find libperl.a so we could
+			libperl_a=`echo $PERL_LDFLAGS|$perlpath -e 'foreach (split(/ /, <STDIN>)) { if (/^-L(.*)/ && -f $1."/libperl.a") { print $1."/libperl.a" } };'`
+		fi
 
 		dnl * Perl 5.004 and older use perl_xxx variables while
 		dnl * later use PL_perl_xxx variables ..
@@ -255,9 +272,11 @@ if test "$want_perl" = "yes"; then
 			AC_DEFINE(HAVE_PL_PERL)
 		fi
 
-		dnl * dynaloader.a -> libperl_dynaloader.la
-		dynaloader=`echo $PERL_LDFLAGS | $sedpath 's/.* \([[^ ]]*\.a\).*/\1/'`
-		PERL_LDFLAGS=`echo $PERL_LDFLAGS | $sedpath 's/ [[^ ]]*\.a/ libperl_dynaloader.la/'`
+		dnl * don't check dynaloader if libperl.a wasn't found..
+		if test "x$libperl_a" != "x"; then
+			dnl * dynaloader.a -> libperl_dynaloader.la
+			dynaloader=`echo $PERL_LDFLAGS | $sedpath 's/.* \([[^ ]]*\.a\).*/\1/'`
+		fi
 
 		dnl * remove all database stuffs
 		PERL_LDFLAGS=`echo $PERL_LDFLAGS | $sedpath 's/-ldb //'`
@@ -277,16 +296,26 @@ if test "$want_perl" = "yes"; then
 		dnl * must not be in LIBADD line
 		PERL_LDFLAGS=`echo $PERL_LDFLAGS | $sedpath 's/-rdynamic //'`
 
-		if test "x$dynaloader" = "x"; then
-			AC_MSG_RESULT([error parsing ldopts, building without Perl.])
-			want_perl=no
+		if test "x$want_perl" = "xstatic"; then
+			AC_MSG_RESULT(ok)
+		elif test "x$dynaloader" = "x"; then
+			AC_MSG_RESULT([error parsing ldopts, building Perl into irssi binary instead of as module])
+			want_perl=static
 		else
 			AC_MSG_RESULT(ok)
-
-			AC_SUBST(PERL_CFLAGS)
-			AC_SUBST(PERL_LDFLAGS)
-			AC_SUBST(PERL_LIB_DIR)
+			PERL_LDFLAGS=`echo $PERL_LDFLAGS | $sedpath 's/ [[^ ]]*\.a/ libperl_dynaloader.la/'`
+			PERL_LDFLAGS=`echo $PERL_LDFLAGS | $sedpath 's/ -lperl/ libperl_orig.la/'`
 		fi
+
+		if test "x$want_perl" = "xstatic"; then
+			PERL_LDFLAGS="../perl/.libs/libperl.a $PERL_LDFLAGS"
+			PROG_LIBS="$PROG_LIBS $PERL_LDFLAGS"
+			PERL_LDFLAGS=
+			AC_DEFINE(HAVE_STATIC_PERL)
+		fi
+		AC_SUBST(PERL_LDFLAGS)
+		AC_SUBST(PERL_CFLAGS)
+		AC_SUBST(PERL_LIB_DIR)
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -296,7 +325,9 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_IRSSIBOT, test "$want_irssibot" = "yes")
 AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_IRSSIPROXY, test "$want_irssiproxy" = "yes")
 AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_PLUGINS, test "$want_plugins" = "yes")
 AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_SERVERTEST, test "$want_servertest" = "yes")
-AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_PERL, test "$want_perl" = "yes")
+AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_PERL, test "$want_perl" != "no")
+
+AC_SUBST(PROG_LIBS)
 
 dnl **
 dnl ** Keep all the libraries here so each frontend doesn't need to
@@ -433,8 +464,8 @@ irssi.spec
 irssi-version.h
 irssi-config)
 
-dnl ** for building from objdir
-if test "x$want_perl" = "xyes"; then
+dnl ** for building from objdir + linking perl libraries so libtool finds them
+if test "x$want_perl" != "xno"; then
 	old_dir=`pwd` && cd $srcdir && whole_dir=`pwd` && cd $old_dir
 
 	if test "x$old_dir" != "x$whole_dir"; then
@@ -442,11 +473,14 @@ if test "x$want_perl" = "xyes"; then
 			ln -sf $file `echo $file|sed "s?$whole_dir/??"`
 		done
 	fi
-	if test ! -d src/perl/.libs; then
-		mkdir -p src/perl/.libs
-	fi
-	if test ! -L src/perl/.libs/DynaLoader.a; then
-		ln -s $dynaloader src/perl/.libs/DynaLoader.a
+
+	dnl * building as module
+	if test "x$want_perl" = "xyes"; then
+		if test ! -d src/perl/.libs; then
+			mkdir -p src/perl/.libs
+		fi
+       		ln -sf $dynaloader src/perl/.libs/DynaLoader.a
+       		ln -sf $libperl_a src/perl/.libs/libperl_orig.a
 	fi
 fi
 
@@ -463,7 +497,14 @@ fi
 echo "Building irssi bot ......... : $want_irssibot"
 echo "Building irssi proxy ....... : $want_irssiproxy"
 echo "Building with IPv6 support . : $want_ipv6"
-echo "Building with Perl support . : $want_perl"
+if test "x$want_perl" = "xstatic"; then
+	echo "Building with Perl support . : static (in irssi binary)"
+elif test "x$want_perl" = "xyes"; then
+	echo "Building with Perl support . : module"
+else
+	echo "Building with Perl support . : no"
+fi
+
 if test "x$want_perl" = "xyes"; then
 	if test "x$PERL_LIB_DIR" = "x"; then
 		echo "Perl library directory ..... : (default - usually /usr/local/lib/perl_site)"
diff --git a/src/fe-text/irssi.c b/src/fe-text/irssi.c
index 56932326..df11ea66 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/irssi.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/irssi.c
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@
 
 #include <signal.h>
 
+#ifdef HAVE_STATIC_PERL
+void perl_init(void);
+void perl_deinit(void);
+#endif
+
 void irc_init(void);
 void irc_deinit(void);
 
@@ -105,6 +110,9 @@ static void textui_finish_init(void)
 	fe_common_core_finish_init();
 	fe_common_irc_finish_init();
 
+#ifdef HAVE_STATIC_PERL
+        perl_init();
+#endif
 	signal_emit("irssi init finished", 0);
 
 	screen_refresh_thaw();
@@ -127,6 +135,10 @@ static void textui_deinit(void)
 	gui_entry_deinit();
 	deinit_screen();
 
+#ifdef HAVE_STATIC_PERL
+        perl_deinit();
+#endif
+
 	theme_unregister();
 
 	fe_common_irc_deinit();
diff --git a/src/perl/Makefile.am b/src/perl/Makefile.am
index ae038bc8..785b8205 100644
--- a/src/perl/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/perl/Makefile.am
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 moduledir = $(libdir)/irssi/modules
-module_LTLIBRARIES = libirssi_perl.la
+module_LTLIBRARIES = libperl.la
 
-libirssi_perl_la_LDFLAGS = -avoid-version
+libperl_la_LDFLAGS = -avoid-version
 
-irssi-perl.c: perl-signals.h
+perl.c: perl-signals.h
 
 INCLUDES = $(GLIB_CFLAGS) \
 	-DSCRIPTDIR=\""$(libdir)/irssi/scripts"\" \
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ INCLUDES = $(GLIB_CFLAGS) \
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/src/core
 
-libirssi_perl_la_SOURCES = \
-	irssi-perl.c \
+libperl_la_SOURCES = \
+	perl.c \
 	perl-common.c \
 	xsinit.c
 
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ IRC_SOURCES = \
 
 EXTRA_DIST = \
 	libperl_dynaloader.la \
+	libperl_orig.la \
 	get-signals.pl \
 	$(CORE_SOURCES) \
 	$(IRC_SOURCES)
@@ -63,9 +64,9 @@ noinst_HEADERS = \
 	perl-common.h
 
 all-local:
-	for dir in core irc; do cd $$dir && if [ ! -f Makefile ]; then if [ "x$(PERL_LIB_DIR)" = "x" ]; then $(perlpath) Makefile.PL; else $(perlpath) Makefile.PL LIB=$(PERL_LIB_DIR); fi; fi && $(MAKE) && cd ..; done
+	for dir in common irc; do cd $$dir && if [ ! -f Makefile ]; then if [ "x$(PERL_LIB_DIR)" = "x" ]; then $(perlpath) Makefile.PL; else $(perlpath) Makefile.PL LIB=$(PERL_LIB_DIR); fi; fi && $(MAKE) && cd ..; done
 
 install-exec-local:
-	for dir in core irc; do cd $$dir && make install && cd ..; done
+	for dir in common irc; do cd $$dir && make install && cd ..; done
 
-libirssi_perl_la_LIBADD = $(PERL_LDFLAGS)
+libperl_la_LIBADD = $(PERL_LDFLAGS)
diff --git a/src/perl/irc/module.h b/src/perl/irc/module.h
index 58a0b31f..2e0e7823 100644
--- a/src/perl/irc/module.h
+++ b/src/perl/irc/module.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#include "../core/module.h"
+#include "../common/module.h"
 
 #include "irc-servers.h"
 #include "irc-channels.h"
diff --git a/src/perl/libperl_orig.la b/src/perl/libperl_orig.la
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c83ffc42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/perl/libperl_orig.la
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# libsilc.la - a libtool library file
+# Generated by ltmain.sh - GNU libtool 1.3.5 (1.385.2.206 2000/05/27 11:12:27)
+
+# The name that we can dlopen(3).
+dlname=''
+
+# Names of this library.
+library_names=''
+
+# The name of the static archive.
+old_library='libperl_orig.a'
+
+# Libraries that this one depends upon.
+dependency_libs=''
+
+# Version information for libsilc.
+current=0
+age=0
+revision=0
+
+# Is this an already installed library?
+installed=no
+
+# Directory that this library needs to be installed in:
+libdir=''
diff --git a/src/perl/irssi-perl.c b/src/perl/perl.c
similarity index 99%
rename from src/perl/irssi-perl.c
rename to src/perl/perl.c
index 44dcd7b6..bf1ae551 100644
--- a/src/perl/irssi-perl.c
+++ b/src/perl/perl.c
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ static void irssi_perl_autorun(void)
 	g_free(path);
 }
 
-void irssi_perl_init(void)
+void perl_init(void)
 {
 	perl_common_init();
 
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ void irssi_perl_init(void)
 	irssi_perl_autorun();
 }
 
-void irssi_perl_deinit(void)
+void perl_deinit(void)
 {
 	irssi_perl_stop();
 	perl_common_deinit();