diff --git a/cmake/godotcpp.cmake b/cmake/godotcpp.cmake
index a2ee27b5d..f08aa1297 100644
--- a/cmake/godotcpp.cmake
+++ b/cmake/godotcpp.cmake
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ function(godotcpp_generate)
     godot_arch_name( ARCH_NAME )
 
     # Transform options into generator expressions
-    set(HOT_RELOAD-UNSET "$<STREQUAL:${GODOTCPP_USE_HOT_RELOAD},>")
+    set(HOT_RELOAD "$<BOOL:${GODOTCPP_USE_HOT_RELOAD}>")
 
     set(DISABLE_EXCEPTIONS "$<BOOL:${GODOTCPP_DISABLE_EXCEPTIONS}>")
 
@@ -337,7 +337,6 @@ function(godotcpp_generate)
     ### Define our godot-cpp library targets
     # Generator Expressions that rely on the target
     set(DEBUG_FEATURES "$<NOT:$<STREQUAL:${GODOTCPP_TARGET},template_release>>")
-    set(HOT_RELOAD "$<IF:${HOT_RELOAD-UNSET},${DEBUG_FEATURES},$<BOOL:${GODOTCPP_USE_HOT_RELOAD}>>")
 
     # Suffix Generator Expression
     string(
diff --git a/cmake/linux.cmake b/cmake/linux.cmake
index 644f0814c..c782bce3f 100644
--- a/cmake/linux.cmake
+++ b/cmake/linux.cmake
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ function(linux_options)
         the docs (https://docs.godotengine.org/en/latest/tutorials/scripting/cpp/build_system/cmake.html)
         for examples.
     ]]
-    option(GODOTCPP_USE_STATIC_CPP "Link libgcc and libstdc++ statically for better portability" OFF)
+    option(GODOTCPP_USE_STATIC_CPP "Link libgcc and libstdc++ statically for better portability" ON)
 endfunction()
 
 #[===========================[ Target Generation ]===========================]
 function(linux_generate)
-    set(STATIC_CPP "$<BOOL:${GODOTCPP_USE_STATIC_CPP}>")
+    set(STATIC_CPP "$<AND:$<BOOL:${GODOTCPP_USE_STATIC_CPP}>,$<NOT:${HOT_RELOAD}>>")
 
     target_compile_definitions(godot-cpp PUBLIC LINUX_ENABLED UNIX_ENABLED)
 
diff --git a/tools/godotcpp.py b/tools/godotcpp.py
index f9448df1e..25a8067ed 100644
--- a/tools/godotcpp.py
+++ b/tools/godotcpp.py
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ def options(opts, env):
         BoolVariable(
             key="use_hot_reload",
             help="Enable the extra accounting required to support hot reload.",
-            default=env.get("use_hot_reload", None),
+            default=env.get("use_hot_reload", False),
         )
     )
 
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ def generate(env):
     print("Building for architecture " + env["arch"] + " on platform " + env["platform"])
 
     # These defaults may be needed by platform tools
-    env.use_hot_reload = env.get("use_hot_reload", env["target"] != "template_release")
+    env.use_hot_reload = env["use_hot_reload"]
     env.editor_build = env["target"] == "editor"
     env.dev_build = env["dev_build"]
     env.debug_features = env["target"] in ["editor", "template_debug"]
diff --git a/tools/linux.py b/tools/linux.py
index 8aae02c15..2975c68a6 100644
--- a/tools/linux.py
+++ b/tools/linux.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 def options(opts):
     opts.Add(BoolVariable("use_llvm", "Use the LLVM compiler - only effective when targeting Linux", False))
-    opts.Add(BoolVariable("use_static_cpp", "Link libgcc and libstdc++ statically for better portability", False))
+    opts.Add(BoolVariable("use_static_cpp", "Link libgcc and libstdc++ statically for better portability", True))
 
 
 def exists(env):
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ def generate(env):
         # Required for extensions to truly unload.
         env.Append(CXXFLAGS=["-fno-gnu-unique"])
 
+    if env.use_hot_reload:
+        # Reload won't work with "use_static_cpp", so disable it.
+        env["use_static_cpp"] = False
+
     env.Append(CCFLAGS=["-fPIC", "-Wwrite-strings"])
     env.Append(LINKFLAGS=["-Wl,-R,'$$ORIGIN'"])