diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 39daf5ee86..4a324e39e0 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -85,15 +85,16 @@ if not meson.is_subproject() and cc.get_id() == 'msvc'
 endif
 
 building_full = get_option('default_library') == 'static'
-tools_option = []
-if building_full and not get_option('tools').disabled()
-  # Do not build subprojects tools when we build them against gst-full
-  tools_option = ['tools=disabled']
+building_full_static = get_option('gst-full-target-type') == 'static_library'
+buildind_full_options = []
+
+if building_full
+buildind_full_options = ['gstreamer-full=enabled']
 endif
 
 # Ordered list of subprojects (dict has no ordering guarantees)
 subprojects = [
-  ['gstreamer', {'build-hotdoc': true, 'subproject_options': tools_option}],
+  ['gstreamer', {'build-hotdoc': true, 'subproject_options': buildind_full_options}],
   ['gst-plugins-base', {'option': get_option('base'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
   ['gst-plugins-good', {'option': get_option('good'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
   ['libnice', { 'option': get_option('libnice'), 'match_gst_version': false}],
@@ -101,9 +102,9 @@ subprojects = [
   ['gst-plugins-ugly', { 'option': get_option('ugly'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
   ['gst-libav', { 'option': get_option('libav'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
   ['gst-rtsp-server', { 'option': get_option('rtsp_server'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
-  ['gst-devtools', { 'option': get_option('devtools'), 'build-hotdoc': true, 'subproject_options': tools_option}],
+  ['gst-devtools', { 'option': get_option('devtools'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
   ['gst-integration-testsuites', { 'option': get_option('devtools') }],
-  ['gst-editing-services', { 'option': get_option('ges'), 'build-hotdoc': true, 'subproject_options': tools_option}],
+  ['gst-editing-services', { 'option': get_option('ges'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
   ['gstreamer-vaapi', { 'option': get_option('vaapi'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
   ['gst-omx', { 'option': get_option('omx'), 'build-hotdoc': true}],
   ['gstreamer-sharp', { 'option': get_option('sharp') }],
@@ -421,17 +422,17 @@ if building_full
     giomodules_deps += dependency(module)
   endforeach
 
-  # Build both shared and static library
-  gstfull = both_libraries('gstreamer-full-1.0',
+  # Build shared library
+  gstfull = build_target('gstreamer-full-1.0',
     init_static_plugins_c,
+    target_type: get_option('gst-full-target-type'),
     link_args: gstfull_link_args,
     link_whole : exposed_libs,
     dependencies : [incdir_deps, glib_deps, all_plugins, giomodules_deps],
     link_depends : link_deps,
     install : true,
   )
-
-  gst_full_dep = declare_dependency(link_with: gstfull.get_shared_lib(),
+  gst_full_dep = declare_dependency(link_with: gstfull,
     dependencies : incdir_deps + glib_deps,
     include_directories: include_directories('.')
   )
@@ -441,7 +442,12 @@ if building_full
     warning('The compiler does not support `-Wl,--undefined` linker flag. The method `gst_init_static_plugins` might be dropped during the link stage of an application using libgstreamer-full-1.0.a, preventing plugins registration.')
   endif
 
-  if not get_option('introspection').disabled()
+  if building_full_static
+    warning('Introspection is enabled in gst-full static build mode but this is not supported by now. gir generation is now disabled.')
+  endif
+  # FIXME: gnome.generate_gir should link with not only gstfull in static gst-full but the whole gstreamer suite.
+  # tried dependencies without success.
+  if not get_option('introspection').disabled() and not building_full_static
     built_girs = {}
     foreach gir: exposed_girs
       includes = []
@@ -466,10 +472,9 @@ if building_full
 
   if not get_option('tools').disabled()
     foreach tool, data: all_tools
+      gst_full_tools += tool
       exe_name = '@0@-@1@'.format(tool, apiversion)
-      extra_args = data.get('extra_c_args', [])
-      sources = data.get('files')
-      install_tag = data.get('install_tag', 'bin')
+
       deps = []
       foreach d : data.get('deps', [])
         if d not in exposed_deps
@@ -477,15 +482,28 @@ if building_full
         endif
       endforeach
 
-      executable(exe_name,
-        sources,
-        install: true,
-        install_tag: install_tag,
-        include_directories : [configinc],
+      exe = executable(exe_name,
+        data.get('files'),
+        install: data.get('install', true),
+        install_tag: data.get('install_tag', 'bin'),
+        install_dir: data.get('install_dir', get_option('bindir')),
+        include_directories : data.get('include_directories', [configinc]),
         dependencies : [gst_full_dep] + deps,
-        c_args: extra_args + gst_c_args + ['-DG_LOG_DOMAIN="@0@"'.format(exe_name)],
+        c_args: data.get('extra_c_args', []) + gst_c_args + ['-DG_LOG_DOMAIN="@0@"'.format(exe_name)],
+        cpp_args: data.get('extra_cpp_args', []),
+        objc_args: data.get('extra_objc_args', []),
+        override_options: data.get('override_options', []),
       )
 
+      if(data.has_key('env'))
+        env = data.get('env')
+        value = env[1]
+        if env[1] == 'exe-full-path'
+          value = exe.full_path()
+        endif
+        meson.add_devenv({env[0]: value})
+      endif
+
       if data.has_key('man_page')
         install_man(data.get('man_page'))
       endif
@@ -537,13 +555,7 @@ endif
 
 summary({
   'gstreamer-full library': building_full,
+  'gstreamer-full target type': get_option('gst-full-target-type'),
+  'Tools': gst_full_tools,
+  'Tests and examples disabled': building_full,
 }, section: 'Build options', bool_yn: true, list_sep: '  ')
-
-gst_tools = []
-foreach tool, data: all_tools
-  gst_tools += tool
-endforeach
-
-summary({
-    'Tools': gst_tools,
-}, section: 'Build options', list_sep: ', ')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 273f8767f9..e5eeb4cb32 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ option('gst-full-device-providers', type : 'string', value : '',
   description : '''List of device providers to expose in gstreamer-full's ABI with the syntax plugin1:dp1;plugin2:dp1:dp2. By default '' will export all device provider of the enabled plugin.''')
 option('gst-full-dynamic-types', type : 'string', value : '',
   description : '''List of dynamic types to expose in gstreamer-full's ABI with the syntax plugin:dt1,dt2. By default '' will export all device provider of the enabled plugin.''')
+option('gst-full-target-type', type : 'combo', value : 'shared_library', choices: ['static_library', 'shared_library'],
+  description : '''The type of library of gstreamer-full-1.0.''')
 option('orc-source', type: 'combo', choices: ['system', 'subproject', 'auto'], value: 'subproject')
 option('build-tools-source', type: 'combo', choices: ['system', 'subproject'], value: 'subproject')
 
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/meson.build
index ebe43eb3b1..05fccc8000 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tests/meson.build
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ else
 endif
 gst_plugin_scanner_path = join_paths(gst_plugin_scanner_dir, 'gst-plugin-scanner')
 
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 # FIXME: make check work on windows
 if host_machine.system() != 'windows' and gst_check_dep.found()
   subdir('check')
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tools/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tools/meson.build
index 88796e3263..d70dd9da5d 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tools/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/tools/meson.build
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ else
   message('Can not build gst-validate-transcoding-' + apiversion)
 endif
 
-if not get_option('tools').disabled()
+if not get_option('tools').disabled() and not static_build
 
   foreach tool, data: gst_tools
     if not data.has_key('config_data')
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-editing-services/examples/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-editing-services/examples/meson.build
index 76d1974ff0..b4ce429766 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-editing-services/examples/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-editing-services/examples/meson.build
@@ -1 +1,5 @@
+if get_option('examples').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 subdir('c')
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-editing-services/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-editing-services/meson.build
index 811a87c490..e076844a7d 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-editing-services/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-editing-services/meson.build
@@ -270,9 +270,7 @@ subdir('plugins')
 subdir('tools')
 
 subdir('tests')
-if not get_option('examples').disabled()
-  subdir('examples')
-endif
+subdir('examples')
 subdir('docs')
 
 pygi_override_dir = get_option('pygi-overrides-dir')
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-editing-services/tests/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-editing-services/tests/meson.build
index 0ef30b3d30..7a31607833 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-editing-services/tests/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-editing-services/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 # FIXME: make check work on windows
 if host_machine.system() != 'windows' and gstcheck_dep.found()
   subdir('check')
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-examples/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-examples/meson.build
index 5ac5c21704..01ee1b9637 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-examples/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-examples/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 project('gst-examples', 'c', version : '1.23.0.1', license : 'LGPL')
 
+static_build = get_option('default_library') == 'static'
 cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
 m_dep = cc.find_library('m', required : false)
 
@@ -34,6 +35,10 @@ gstsdp_dep = dependency('gstreamer-sdp-1.0', version : gst_req,
 gstrtp_dep = dependency('gstreamer-rtp-1.0', version : gst_req,
     fallback : ['gst-plugins-base', 'rtp_dep'])
 
+if static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 subdir('playback')
 subdir('network')
 subdir('webrtc')
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-libav/tests/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-libav/tests/meson.build
index 3714641a59..89a773bbb5 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-libav/tests/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-libav/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
-if not get_option('tests').disabled() and gstcheck_dep.found()
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
+if gstcheck_dep.found()
   subdir('check')
 endif
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-omx/examples/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-omx/examples/meson.build
index 5173880576..edf22bec9b 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-omx/examples/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-omx/examples/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+if get_option('examples').disabled() or static_build or host_machine.system() == 'windows'
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 if gstgl_dep.found()
   subdir('egl')
 endif
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-omx/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-omx/meson.build
index c33e4cdf35..cd06116a80 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-omx/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-omx/meson.build
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ api_version = '1.0'
 plugins_install_dir = '@0@/gstreamer-1.0'.format(get_option('libdir'))
 
 cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
+static_build = get_option('default_library') == 'static'
+
 
 if cc.get_id() == 'msvc'
   msvc_args = [
@@ -410,9 +412,8 @@ if not get_option('tools').disabled()
   subdir('tools')
 endif
 
-if not get_option('tests').disabled() and gstcheck_dep.found()
-  subdir('tests')
-endif
+subdir('tests')
+
 subdir('docs')
 
 # Set release date
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-omx/tests/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-omx/tests/meson.build
index 76b079162c..e41c33e64d 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-omx/tests/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-omx/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 # FIXME: make check work on windows
-if host_machine.system() != 'windows'
-subdir('check')
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build or host_machine.system() == 'windows'
+  subdir_done()
 endif
+
+if gstcheck_dep.found()
+  subdir('check')
+endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/meson.build
index 91c0d18f39..1118a060d9 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-if not get_option('tests').disabled() and gstcheck_dep.found()
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
+if gstcheck_dep.found()
   subdir('check')
   subdir('interactive')
   subdir('validate')
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/meson.build
index e3a97b89db..12c3d9501c 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 pluginsdirs = []
 if gst_dep.type_name() == 'pkgconfig'
   pluginsdirs = [gst_dep.get_variable('pluginsdir')]
@@ -7,7 +11,7 @@ else
 endif
 gst_plugin_scanner_path = join_paths(gst_plugin_scanner_dir, 'gst-plugin-scanner')
 
-if not get_option('tests').disabled() and gst_check_dep.found()
+if gst_check_dep.found()
   subdir('check')
   subdir('interactive')
   subdir('validate')
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tools/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tools/meson.build
index ab49e83909..9dd781c43b 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tools/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tools/meson.build
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ endif
     },
   }
 
-if not get_option('tools').disabled()
+if not get_option('tools').disabled() and not static_build
   foreach tool, data: gst_tools
     exe_name = '@0@-@1@'.format(tool, api_version)
     executable(exe_name,
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/gst/multifile/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/gst/multifile/meson.build
index 7f7c53fd11..ad0559bc65 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/gst/multifile/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/gst/multifile/meson.build
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ gstmultifile = library('gstmultifile',
 )
 plugins += [gstmultifile]
 
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 test_splitmuxpartreader_sources = [
   'test-splitmuxpartreader.c',
   'gstsplitmuxpartreader.c',
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/tests/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/tests/meson.build
index 86c90d3f39..7299575125 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/tests/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-if not get_option('tests').disabled() and gstcheck_dep.found()
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
+if gstcheck_dep.found()
   subdir('check')
   subdir('interactive')
 endif
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-ugly/tests/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-plugins-ugly/tests/meson.build
index 3714641a59..89a773bbb5 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-ugly/tests/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-ugly/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
-if not get_option('tests').disabled() and gstcheck_dep.found()
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
+if gstcheck_dep.found()
   subdir('check')
 endif
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/examples/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/examples/meson.build
index 00a08ae602..100c3f99f3 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/examples/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/examples/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+if get_option('examples').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 examples = [
   'test-appsrc',
   'test-appsrc2',
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/meson.build
index f1c998b091..d402c5d1ac 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/meson.build
@@ -192,12 +192,10 @@ static_build = get_option('default_library') == 'static'
 gst_libraries = []
 
 subdir('gst')
-if not get_option('tests').disabled()
-  subdir('tests')
-endif
-if not get_option('examples').disabled()
-  subdir('examples')
-endif
+
+subdir('tests')
+subdir('examples')
+
 subdir('docs')
 
 # Set release date
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/tests/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/tests/meson.build
index 5374bcba45..3cba2d915a 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/tests/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-rtsp-server/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # FIXME: make check work on windows
-if host_machine.system() != 'windows' and gstcheck_dep.found()
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build or host_machine.system() == 'windows'
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
+if gstcheck_dep.found()
   subdir('check')
 endif
 
diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer-vaapi/tests/meson.build b/subprojects/gstreamer-vaapi/tests/meson.build
index 2b8b8155df..a7e337737d 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer-vaapi/tests/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer-vaapi/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-if not get_option('tests').disabled() and gstcheck_dep.found()
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
+if gstcheck_dep.found()
   subdir('check')
 endif
 
diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gst.c b/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gst.c
index c068314d3e..a2df9847a8 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gst.c
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gst.c
@@ -119,6 +119,10 @@
 #endif
 #endif
 
+#ifdef GST_FULL_COMPILATION
+void gst_init_static_plugins ();
+#endif
+
 #include <glib/gi18n-lib.h>
 #include <locale.h>             /* for LC_ALL */
 
@@ -621,19 +625,9 @@ gst_register_core_elements (GstPlugin * plugin)
 static void
 init_static_plugins (void)
 {
-  GModule *module;
-
-  /* Call gst_init_static_plugins() defined in libgstreamer-full-1.0 in the case
-   * libgstreamer is static linked with some plugins. */
-  module = g_module_open (NULL, G_MODULE_BIND_LOCAL);
-  if (module) {
-    void (*func) (void);
-    if (g_module_symbol (module, "gst_init_static_plugins",
-            (gpointer *) & func)) {
-      func ();
-    }
-    g_module_close (module);
-  }
+#ifdef GST_FULL_COMPILATION
+  gst_init_static_plugins ();
+#endif
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/meson.build b/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/meson.build
index 90ef85a867..c88e494cc2 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/meson.build
@@ -252,6 +252,10 @@ if not tracer_hooks
   libgst_c_args += ['-DGST_DISABLE_GST_TRACER_HOOKS']
 endif
 
+if get_option('gstreamer-full').enabled()
+  libgst_c_args += ['-DGST_FULL_COMPILATION']
+endif
+
 # Make sure that subproject building gir files work
 gst_incdirs = [configinc]
 gst_gen_sources = [gstenum_h]
diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer/meson.build b/subprojects/gstreamer/meson.build
index 727525dfc5..f0d3f742f8 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer/meson.build
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ helpers_install_dir = join_paths(libexecdir, 'gstreamer-1.0')
 
 cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
 host_system = host_machine.system()
+static_build = get_option('default_library') == 'static'
 
 if host_system == 'darwin'
   ios_test_code = '''#include <TargetConditionals.h>
@@ -569,7 +570,8 @@ gst_c_args = ['-DHAVE_CONFIG_H']
 # FIXME: This is only needed on windows and probably breaks when
 # default_library = 'both'. We should add this flag to static_c_args instead
 # when Meson supports it: https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/issues/3304
-if get_option('default_library') == 'static'
+
+if static_build
   gst_c_args += ['-DGST_STATIC_COMPILATION']
 endif
 
@@ -634,7 +636,7 @@ if host_system == 'darwin'
   pkgconfig_libs = ['-Wl,-rpath,${libdir}']
 endif
 
-static_build = get_option('default_library') == 'static'
+
 gst_libraries = []
 subdir('gst')
 subdir('libs')
diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer/meson_options.txt b/subprojects/gstreamer/meson_options.txt
index 54d222915c..3a34bcaaa3 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer/meson_options.txt
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer/meson_options.txt
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ option('libdw', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', description : 'Use libdw to ge
 option('dbghelp', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', description : 'Use dbghelp to generate backtraces')
 option('bash-completion', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', description : 'Install bash completion files')
 option('coretracers', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', description : 'Build coretracers plugin')
+option('gstreamer-full', type : 'feature', value : 'disabled', description : 'Build with gstreamer-full')
 
 # Common feature options
 option('examples', type : 'feature', value : 'auto', yield : true)
diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer/tests/meson.build b/subprojects/gstreamer/tests/meson.build
index f3589a51ef..69541dc0b4 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer/tests/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer/tests/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
+if get_option('tests').disabled() or static_build
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
 if not get_option('benchmarks').disabled()
   subdir('benchmarks')
 endif
-if not get_option('tests').disabled() and gst_check_dep.found()
+if gst_check_dep.found()
   subdir('validate')
   subdir('check')
 endif
diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer/tools/meson.build b/subprojects/gstreamer/tools/meson.build
index cc1ec2f6e2..04eedfe019 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer/tools/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer/tools/meson.build
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ foreach tool : tools
   endif
 
   man_page = files('@0@-1.0.1'.format(tool))
-  if not get_option('tools').disabled()
+  if not get_option('tools').disabled() and not static_build
     executable(exe_name,
       src_file,
       install: true,