diff --git a/lib/colvars/Makefile.common b/lib/colvars/Makefile.common
index 0482cff74a..2f2e2beffb 100644
--- a/lib/colvars/Makefile.common
+++ b/lib/colvars/Makefile.common
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ ifeq ($(COLVARS_LEPTON),no)
 LEPTON_INCFLAGS = 
 COLVARS_OBJS = $(COLVARS_SRCS:.cpp=.o)
 else
-LEPTON_INCFLAGS = -Ilepton/include -DLEPTON
+LEPTON_INCFLAGS = -Ilepton/include -DLEPTON -DLEPTON_USE_STATIC_LIBRARIES
 COLVARS_OBJS = $(COLVARS_SRCS:.cpp=.o) $(LEPTON_SRCS:.cpp=.o)
 endif
 
@@ -82,4 +82,20 @@ Makefile.deps: $(COLVARS_SRCS)
 	  done
 
 include Makefile.deps
+
+# Exceptions to pattern rule above for Lepton objects
+
+lepton/src/CompiledExpression.o: lepton/src/CompiledExpression.cpp
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -Ilepton/include -DLEPTON_BUILDING_STATIC_LIBRARY -c -o $@ $<
+lepton/src/ExpressionProgram.o: lepton/src/ExpressionProgram.cpp
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -Ilepton/include -DLEPTON_BUILDING_STATIC_LIBRARY -c -o $@ $<
+lepton/src/ExpressionTreeNode.o: lepton/src/ExpressionTreeNode.cpp
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -Ilepton/include -DLEPTON_BUILDING_STATIC_LIBRARY -c -o $@ $<
+lepton/src/Operation.o: lepton/src/Operation.cpp
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -Ilepton/include -DLEPTON_BUILDING_STATIC_LIBRARY -c -o $@ $<
+lepton/src/ParsedExpression.o: lepton/src/ParsedExpression.cpp
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -Ilepton/include -DLEPTON_BUILDING_STATIC_LIBRARY -c -o $@ $<
+lepton/src/Parser.o: lepton/src/Parser.cpp
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -Ilepton/include -DLEPTON_BUILDING_STATIC_LIBRARY -c -o $@ $<
+
 include Makefile.lepton.deps # Hand-generated