diff --git a/nix/static.nix b/nix/static.nix
index 410ff13cf..4a54f919a 100644
--- a/nix/static.nix
+++ b/nix/static.nix
@@ -49,14 +49,31 @@ let
   makeExecutableStatic = drv: pkgs.lib.pipe drv [
     (lib.compose.appendConfigureFlags [ "--enable-executable-static" ])
     lib.compose.justStaticExecutables
+
+    # To successfully compile a redistributable, fully static executable we need to:
+    # 1. make executable really statically linked.
+    # 2. avoid any references to /nix/store to prevent blowing up the closure size.
+    # 3. be able to run the executable.
+    # When checking for references, we ignore the following:
+    # - eeee... are removed references which don't actually exist
+    # - openssl-etc references are purposely designed to be very small
     (lib.compose.overrideCabal (drv: {
-      postInstall = ''
+      postFixup = drv.postFixup + ''
         exe="$out/bin/postgrest"
+
         if ! (file "$exe" | grep 'statically linked') then
           echo "not a static executable, ldd output:"
           ldd "$exe"
           exit 1
         fi
+
+        echo "Checking for references to /nix/store..."
+        (${pkgsStatic.binutils}/bin/strings "$exe" \
+          | grep -v /nix/store/eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee \
+          | grep -v -etc/etc/ssl \
+          | grep /nix/store || exit 0 && exit 1)
+        echo "No references to /nix/store found"
+
         "$exe" --help
       '';
     }))