diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/li/live555/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/li/live555/package.nix
index 617b3e3b711a..84ccfaa25b97 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/li/live555/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/li/live555/package.nix
@@ -1,12 +1,17 @@
 {
-  lib,
+  buildPackages,
   cctools,
   fetchpatch,
   fetchurl,
+  lib,
+  live555,
   openssl,
+  runCommand,
   stdenv,
-  vlc,
 }:
+let
+  isStatic = stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic;
+in
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   pname = "live555";
@@ -42,8 +47,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     "PREFIX=${placeholder "out"}"
     "C_COMPILER=$(CC)"
     "CPLUSPLUS_COMPILER=$(CXX)"
-    "LIBRARY_LINK=$(AR) cr "
     "LINK=$(CXX) -o "
+    "LIBRARY_LINK=${if isStatic then "$(AR) cr " else "$(CC) -o "}"
   ];
 
   # Since NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE affects both C and C++ toolchains, we set CXXFLAGS
@@ -83,7 +88,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     let
       platform =
         if stdenv.hostPlatform.isLinux then
-          "linux"
+          if isStatic then "linux" else "linux-with-shared-libraries"
         else if stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin then
           "macosx-catalina"
         else
@@ -97,10 +102,33 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
       runHook postConfigure
     '';
 
-  passthru.tests = {
-    # Downstream dependency
-    inherit vlc;
-  };
+  doInstallCheck = true;
+  installCheckPhase = ''
+    if ! ($out/bin/openRTSP || :) 2>&1 | grep -q "Usage: "; then
+      echo "Executing example program failed" >&2
+      exit 1
+    else
+      echo "Example program executed successfully"
+    fi
+  '';
+
+  passthru.tests =
+    let
+      emulator = stdenv.hostPlatform.emulator buildPackages;
+    in
+    {
+      # The installCheck phase above cannot be ran in cross-compilation scenarios,
+      # therefore the passthru test
+      run-test-prog = runCommand "live555-run-test-prog" { } ''
+        if ! (${emulator} ${live555}/bin/openRTSP || :) 2>&1 | grep -q "Usage: "; then
+          echo "Executing example program failed" >&2
+          exit 1
+        else
+          echo "Example program executed successfully"
+          touch $out
+        fi
+      '';
+    };
 
   meta = {
     homepage = "http://www.live555.com/liveMedia/";