diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 54563a4..ea4e1b7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -6,29 +6,30 @@ on:
 jobs:
   test-gnu:
     # dynamically linked glibc
-    name: Test on Ubuntu ${{ matrix.os-arch }} (${{ matrix.features }})
+    name: Test on Ubuntu ${{ matrix.os-arch }} (${{ matrix.args }})
     strategy:
       matrix:
         include:
           - rust-target: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
             os-target: x86_64-linux-gnu
             os-arch: amd64
-            features: ''
+            args: ''
 
           - rust-target: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
             os-target: x86_64-linux-gnu
             os-arch: amd64
-            features: static 
+            args: --no-default-features
+            install-sys-libbpf: y
 
           - rust-target: aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu
             os-target: aarch64-linux-gnu
             os-arch: arm64
-            features: ''
+            args: ''
 
           - rust-target: powerpc64le-unknown-linux-gnu
             os-target: powerpc64le-linux-gnu
             os-arch: ppc64el
-            features: ''
+            args: ''
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
       CARGO_BUILD_TARGET: ${{ matrix.rust-target }}
@@ -61,17 +62,9 @@ jobs:
               zlib1g-dev:${{ matrix.os-arch }}
 
       - name: Install libbpf-dev
+        if: matrix.install-sys-libbpf == 'y'
         run: sudo apt-get install libbpf-dev:${{ matrix.os-arch }}
 
-      - name: Install Static Compilation dependencies
-        run: |
-          sudo apt-get install \
-              autopoint:${{ matrix.os-arch }} \
-              autoconf:${{ matrix.os-arch }} \
-              flex:${{ matrix.os-arch }} \
-              bison:${{ matrix.os-arch }} \
-              gawk:${{ matrix.os-arch }}
-
       - name: Install linker for ${{ matrix.os-target }}
         if: matrix.os-arch != 'amd64'
         run: sudo apt-get install gcc-${{ matrix.os-target }}
@@ -81,19 +74,21 @@ jobs:
         with:
           targets: ${{ matrix.rust-target }}
 
-      - run: cargo build --features "${{ matrix.features }}"
+      - run: cargo build ${{ matrix.args }}
 
-      - run: cargo test --features "${{ matrix.features }}"
+      - run: cargo test ${{ matrix.args }}
         if: matrix.os-arch == 'amd64'
 
   test-musl:
     # dynamically linked musl libc
-    name: Test on Alpine Linux x86_64 (${{ matrix.features }})
+    name: Test on Alpine Linux x86_64 (${{ matrix.args }})
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        features:
-          - ''
+        include:
+          - args: ''
+          - args: --no-default-features
+            install-sys-libbpf: y
     env:
       CARGO_TERM_VERBOSE: 'true'
     steps:
@@ -114,13 +109,14 @@ jobs:
             zlib-dev
 
       - name: Install libbpf-dev
+        if: matrix.install-sys-libbpf == 'y'
         run: apk add libbpf-dev
         shell: alpine.sh --root {0}
 
-      - run: cargo build --features "${{ matrix.features }}"
+      - run: cargo build ${{ matrix.args }}
         shell: alpine.sh {0}
 
-      - run: cargo test --features "${{ matrix.features }}"
+      - run: cargo test ${{ matrix.args }}
         shell: alpine.sh {0}
 
   test-libbpf-rs:
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index a4a157a..68a8818 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -36,5 +36,25 @@ num_cpus = "^1.16.0"
 crate-type = ["lib", "staticlib"]
 
 [features]
-static = []
-novendor = [] # depricated, novendor is the default
+default = ["vendored-libbpf"]
+# Don't vendor anything. This feature is deprecated. Simply build without
+# any features instead.
+novendor = []
+# Meta-feature to use vendored versions of all dependencies.
+vendored = ["vendored-libbpf", "vendored-libelf", "vendored-zlib"]
+# Use vendored `libbpf`. Implies linking it statically.
+vendored-libbpf = ["static-libbpf"]
+# Use vendored `libelf`. Implies linking it statically.
+vendored-libelf = ["static-libelf"]
+# Use vendored `zlib`. Implies linking it statically.
+vendored-zlib = ["static-zlib"]
+# Meta-feature to link against all dependencies statically.
+static = ["static-libbpf", "static-libelf", "static-zlib"]
+# Link libbpf statically.
+static-libbpf = []
+# Link libelf statically. Implies linking libbpf statically, because libbpf is
+# the libelf consumer.
+static-libelf = ["static-libbpf"]
+# Link zlib statically. Implies linking libbpf statically, because libbpf is
+# the libelf consumer.
+static-zlib = ["static-libbpf"]
diff --git a/build.rs b/build.rs
index 7ac5ec1..7f5651d 100644
--- a/build.rs
+++ b/build.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 // build.rs
 
 use std::env;
+use std::ffi;
 use std::fs;
+use std::os::fd::AsRawFd as _;
 use std::path;
 use std::process;
 
+use nix::fcntl;
+
 #[cfg(feature = "bindgen")]
 fn generate_bindings(src_dir: path::PathBuf) {
     use std::collections::HashSet;
@@ -76,19 +80,17 @@ fn generate_bindings(src_dir: path::PathBuf) {
 #[cfg(not(feature = "bindgen"))]
 fn generate_bindings(_: path::PathBuf) {}
 
-#[cfg(feature = "static")]
-fn library_prefix() -> String {
-    "static=".to_string()
-}
-
-#[cfg(not(feature = "static"))]
-fn library_prefix() -> String {
-    "".to_string()
-}
-
 fn pkg_check(pkg: &str) {
-    if let Err(_) = process::Command::new(pkg).status() {
-        panic!("{} is required to compile libbpf-sys using the vendored copy of libbpf", pkg);
+    if process::Command::new(pkg)
+        .stdout(process::Stdio::null())
+        .stderr(process::Stdio::null())
+        .status()
+        .is_err()
+    {
+        panic!(
+            "{} is required to compile libbpf-sys with the selected set of features",
+            pkg
+        );
     }
 }
 
@@ -97,85 +99,88 @@ fn main() {
 
     generate_bindings(src_dir.clone());
 
-    if cfg!(not(feature = "static")) {
-        println!("cargo:rustc-link-lib={}bpf\n", library_prefix());
+    let vendored_libbpf = cfg!(feature = "vendored-libbpf");
+    let vendored_libelf = cfg!(feature = "vendored-libelf");
+    let vendored_zlib = cfg!(feature = "vendored-zlib");
+    println!("Using feature vendored-libbpf={}", vendored_libbpf);
+    println!("Using feature vendored-libelf={}", vendored_libelf);
+    println!("Using feature vendored-zlib={}", vendored_zlib);
+
+    let static_libbpf = cfg!(feature = "static-libbpf");
+    let static_libelf = cfg!(feature = "static-libelf");
+    let static_zlib = cfg!(feature = "static-zlib");
+    println!("Using feature static-libbpf={}", static_libbpf);
+    println!("Using feature static-libelf={}", static_libelf);
+    println!("Using feature static-zlib={}", static_zlib);
+
+    if cfg!(feature = "novendor") {
+        println!("cargo:warning=the `novendor` feature of `libbpf-sys` is deprecated; build without features instead");
+        println!(
+            "cargo:rustc-link-lib={}bpf",
+            if static_libbpf { "static=" } else { "" }
+        );
         return;
     }
 
     let out_dir = path::PathBuf::from(env::var_os("OUT_DIR").unwrap());
 
     // check for all necessary compilation tools
-    pkg_check("make");
-    pkg_check("pkg-config");
-    pkg_check("autoreconf");
-    pkg_check("autopoint");
-    pkg_check("flex");
-    pkg_check("bison");
-    pkg_check("gawk");
-
-    let compiler = match cc::Build::new().try_get_compiler() {
-        Ok(compiler) => compiler,
-        Err(_) => panic!(
-            "a C compiler is required to compile libbpf-sys using the vendored copy of libbpf"
-        ),
-    };
-
-    // create obj_dir if it doesn't exist
-    let obj_dir = path::PathBuf::from(&out_dir.join("obj").into_os_string());
-    let _ = fs::create_dir(&obj_dir);
+    if vendored_libelf {
+        pkg_check("autoreconf");
+        pkg_check("autopoint");
+        pkg_check("flex");
+        pkg_check("bison");
+        pkg_check("gawk");
+    }
 
-    // compile static zlib and static libelf
-    make_zlib(&compiler, &src_dir, &out_dir);
-    make_elfutils(&compiler, &src_dir, &out_dir);
+    let (compiler, mut cflags) = if vendored_libbpf || vendored_libelf || vendored_zlib {
+        pkg_check("make");
+        pkg_check("pkg-config");
 
-    let cflags = if cfg!(feature = "vendored") {
-        // make sure that the headerfiles from libelf and zlib
-        // for libbpf come from the vendorized version
-        
-        let mut cflags = compiler.cflags_env();
-        cflags.push(&format!(" -I{}/elfutils/libelf/", src_dir.display()));
-        cflags.push(&format!(" -I{}/zlib/", src_dir.display()));
-        cflags
+        let compiler = cc::Build::new().try_get_compiler().expect(
+            "a C compiler is required to compile libbpf-sys using the vendored copy of libbpf",
+        );
+        let cflags = compiler.cflags_env();
+        (Some(compiler), cflags)
     } else {
-        compiler.cflags_env()
+        (None, ffi::OsString::new())
     };
 
-    let status = process::Command::new("make")
-        .arg("install")
-        .arg("-j")
-        .arg(&format!("{}", num_cpus::get()))
-        .env("BUILD_STATIC_ONLY", "y")
-        .env("PREFIX", "/")
-        .env("LIBDIR", "")
-        .env("OBJDIR", &obj_dir)
-        .env("DESTDIR", &out_dir)
-        .env("CC", compiler.path())
-        .env("CFLAGS", cflags)
-        .current_dir(&src_dir.join("libbpf/src"))
-        .status()
-        .expect("could not execute make");
-
-    assert!(status.success(), "make failed");
+    if vendored_zlib {
+        make_zlib(compiler.as_ref().unwrap(), &src_dir, &out_dir);
+        cflags.push(&format!(" -I{}/zlib/", src_dir.display()));
+    }
 
-    let status = process::Command::new("make")
-        .arg("clean")
-        .current_dir(&src_dir.join("libbpf/src"))
-        .status()
-        .expect("could not execute make");
+    if vendored_libelf {
+        make_elfutils(compiler.as_ref().unwrap(), &src_dir, &out_dir);
+        cflags.push(&format!(" -I{}/elfutils/libelf/", src_dir.display()));
+    }
 
-    assert!(status.success(), "make failed");
+    if vendored_libbpf {
+        make_libbpf(compiler.as_ref().unwrap(), &cflags, &src_dir, &out_dir);
+    }
 
     println!(
         "cargo:rustc-link-search=native={}",
         out_dir.to_string_lossy()
     );
-    println!("cargo:rustc-link-lib={}elf", library_prefix());
-    println!("cargo:rustc-link-lib={}z", library_prefix());
-    println!("cargo:rustc-link-lib=static=bpf");
+    println!(
+        "cargo:rustc-link-lib={}elf",
+        if static_libelf { "static=" } else { "" }
+    );
+    println!(
+        "cargo:rustc-link-lib={}z",
+        if static_zlib { "static=" } else { "" }
+    );
+    println!(
+        "cargo:rustc-link-lib={}bpf",
+        if static_libbpf { "static=" } else { "" }
+    );
     println!("cargo:include={}/include", out_dir.to_string_lossy());
 
+    println!("cargo:rerun-if-env-changed=LD_LIBRARY_PATH");
     if let Ok(ld_path) = env::var("LD_LIBRARY_PATH") {
-        for path in ld_path.split(":") {
+        for path in ld_path.split(':') {
             if !path.is_empty() {
                 println!("cargo:rustc-link-search=native={}", path);
             }
@@ -183,14 +188,11 @@ fn main() {
     }
 }
 
-fn make_zlib(compiler: &cc::Tool, src_dir: &path::PathBuf, out_dir: &path::PathBuf) {
-    use nix::fcntl;
-    use std::os::fd::AsRawFd;
-
+fn make_zlib(compiler: &cc::Tool, src_dir: &path::Path, out_dir: &path::Path) {
     // lock README such that if two crates are trying to compile
     // this at the same time (eg libbpf-rs libbpf-cargo)
     // they wont trample each other
-    let file = std::fs::File::open(&src_dir.join("zlib/README")).unwrap();
+    let file = std::fs::File::open(src_dir.join("zlib/README")).unwrap();
     let fd = file.as_raw_fd();
     fcntl::flock(fd, fcntl::FlockArg::LockExclusive).unwrap();
 
@@ -227,14 +229,11 @@ fn make_zlib(compiler: &cc::Tool, src_dir: &path::PathBuf, out_dir: &path::PathB
     assert!(status.success(), "make failed");
 }
 
-fn make_elfutils(compiler: &cc::Tool, src_dir: &path::PathBuf, out_dir: &path::PathBuf) {
-    use nix::fcntl;
-    use std::os::fd::AsRawFd;
-
+fn make_elfutils(compiler: &cc::Tool, src_dir: &path::Path, out_dir: &path::Path) {
     // lock README such that if two crates are trying to compile
     // this at the same time (eg libbpf-rs libbpf-cargo)
     // they wont trample each other
-    let file = std::fs::File::open(&src_dir.join("elfutils/README")).unwrap();
+    let file = std::fs::File::open(src_dir.join("elfutils/README")).unwrap();
     let fd = file.as_raw_fd();
     fcntl::flock(fd, fcntl::FlockArg::LockExclusive).unwrap();
 
@@ -308,3 +307,39 @@ fn make_elfutils(compiler: &cc::Tool, src_dir: &path::PathBuf, out_dir: &path::P
 
     assert!(status.success(), "make failed");
 }
+
+fn make_libbpf(
+    compiler: &cc::Tool,
+    cflags: &ffi::OsStr,
+    src_dir: &path::Path,
+    out_dir: &path::Path,
+) {
+    // create obj_dir if it doesn't exist
+    let obj_dir = path::PathBuf::from(&out_dir.join("obj").into_os_string());
+    let _ = fs::create_dir(&obj_dir);
+
+    let status = process::Command::new("make")
+        .arg("install")
+        .arg("-j")
+        .arg(&format!("{}", num_cpus::get()))
+        .env("BUILD_STATIC_ONLY", "y")
+        .env("PREFIX", "/")
+        .env("LIBDIR", "")
+        .env("OBJDIR", &obj_dir)
+        .env("DESTDIR", out_dir)
+        .env("CC", compiler.path())
+        .env("CFLAGS", cflags)
+        .current_dir(&src_dir.join("libbpf/src"))
+        .status()
+        .expect("could not execute make");
+
+    assert!(status.success(), "make failed");
+
+    let status = process::Command::new("make")
+        .arg("clean")
+        .current_dir(&src_dir.join("libbpf/src"))
+        .status()
+        .expect("could not execute make");
+
+    assert!(status.success(), "make failed");
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 8178a7e..ec7f9ab 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 include!("bindings.rs");
 
-#[cfg(feature = "static")]
+#[cfg(feature = "vendored-libbpf")]
 macro_rules! header {
     ($file:literal) => {
         ($file, include_str!(concat!("../libbpf/src/", $file)))
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ macro_rules! header {
 /// Vendored libbpf headers
 ///
 /// Tuple format is: (header filename, header contents)
-#[cfg(feature = "static")]
-pub const API_HEADERS: [(&'static str, &'static str); 10] = [
+#[cfg(feature = "vendored-libbpf")]
+pub const API_HEADERS: [(&str, &str); 10] = [
     header!("bpf.h"),
     header!("libbpf.h"),
     header!("btf.h"),
diff --git a/tests/tests.rs b/tests/tests.rs
index 38c82ed..7d6e8bb 100644
--- a/tests/tests.rs
+++ b/tests/tests.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ mod tests {
         _arg1: *const std::os::raw::c_char,
         _ap: *mut __va_list_tag,
     ) -> std::os::raw::c_int {
-        return 0;
+        0
     }
 
     #[test]