diff --git a/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian.yml b/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian.yml
index efa9cb8c1..7e0d17481 100644
--- a/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian.yml
+++ b/contrib/gitian-descriptors/gitian.yml
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ script: |
   cp $OUTDIR/src/COPYING $OUTDIR
   cd src
   sed 's/$(DEBUGFLAGS)//' -i makefile.unix
-  PATH=$INSTDIR/bin:$PATH make -f makefile.unix CXX="g++ -I$INSTDIR/include -L$INSTDIR/lib" $MAKEOPTS bitcoin USE_UPNP=1
-  PATH=$INSTDIR/bin:$PATH make -f makefile.unix CXX="g++ -I$INSTDIR/include -L$INSTDIR/lib" $MAKEOPTS bitcoind USE_UPNP=0
+  PATH=$INSTDIR/bin:$PATH make -f makefile.unix STATIC=1 CXX="g++ -I$INSTDIR/include -L$INSTDIR/lib" $MAKEOPTS bitcoin USE_UPNP=1
+  PATH=$INSTDIR/bin:$PATH make -f makefile.unix STATIC=1 CXX="g++ -I$INSTDIR/include -L$INSTDIR/lib" $MAKEOPTS bitcoind USE_UPNP=0
   mkdir -p $OUTDIR/bin/$GBUILD_BITS
   install -s bitcoin bitcoind $OUTDIR/bin/$GBUILD_BITS
diff --git a/doc/build-unix.txt b/doc/build-unix.txt
index e47dbf710..f4178caae 100644
--- a/doc/build-unix.txt
+++ b/doc/build-unix.txt
@@ -65,14 +65,16 @@ If using Boost 1.37, append -mt to the boost libraries in the makefile.
 
 Dependency Build Instructions: Gentoo
 -------------------------------------
-emerge -av boost openssl sys-libs/db
+
+Note: If you just want to install bitcoind on Gentoo, you can add the Bitcoin
+      overlay and use your package manager:
+          layman -a bitcoin && emerge bitcoind
+
+emerge -av1 --noreplace boost glib openssl sys-libs/db:4.8
 
 Take the following steps to build (no UPnP support):
  cd ${BITCOIN_DIR}/src
- sed -i 's/<db_cxx.h>/<db4.8\/db_cxx.h>/' *.h        # path fix
- sed -i 's/-Bstatic/-Bdynamic/' makefile.unix        # dynamic linking
- sed -i 's/^USE_UPNP:=0$/USE_UPNP:=/' makefile.unix  # disable UPnP
- make -f makefile.unix
+ make -f makefile.unix USE_UPNP= BDB_INCLUDE_PATH='/usr/include/db4.8'
  strip bitcoind
 
 
diff --git a/src/makefile.unix b/src/makefile.unix
index 1ef7caaad..0e903ef18 100644
--- a/src/makefile.unix
+++ b/src/makefile.unix
@@ -6,26 +6,45 @@ CXX=g++
 
 USE_UPNP:=0
 
-DEFS=-DNOPCH -DUSE_SSL
+DEFS=-DNOPCH
+
+DEFS += $(addprefix -I,$(BOOST_INCLUDE_PATH) $(BDB_INCLUDE_PATH) $(OPENSSL_INCLUDE_PATH))
+LIBS += $(addprefix -l,$(BOOST_LIB_PATH) $(BDB_LIB_PATH) $(OPENSSL_LIB_PATH))
+
+LMODE = dynamic
+LMODE2 = dynamic
+ifdef STATIC
+	LMODE = static
+	ifeq (${STATIC}, all)
+		LMODE2 = static
+	endif
+endif
 
 # for boost 1.37, add -mt to the boost libraries
 LIBS= \
- -Wl,-Bstatic \
-   -l boost_system \
-   -l boost_filesystem \
-   -l boost_program_options \
-   -l boost_thread \
-   -l db_cxx \
+ -Wl,-B$(LMODE) \
+   -l boost_system$(BOOST_LIB_SUFFIX) \
+   -l boost_filesystem$(BOOST_LIB_SUFFIX) \
+   -l boost_program_options$(BOOST_LIB_SUFFIX) \
+   -l boost_thread$(BOOST_LIB_SUFFIX) \
+   -l db_cxx$(BDB_LIB_SUFFIX) \
    -l ssl \
    -l crypto
 
-ifdef USE_UPNP
+ifndef USE_UPNP
+	override USE_UPNP = -
+endif
+ifneq (${USE_UPNP}, -)
 	LIBS += -l miniupnpc
 	DEFS += -DUSE_UPNP=$(USE_UPNP)
 endif
 
+ifneq (${USE_SSL}, 0)
+	DEFS += -DUSE_SSL
+endif
+
 LIBS+= \
- -Wl,-Bdynamic \
+ -Wl,-B$(LMODE2) \
    -l gthread-2.0 \
    -l z \
    -l dl \