diff --git a/build/gcc.mak b/build/gcc.mak
index 49bd34ee..4ca4d193 100644
--- a/build/gcc.mak
+++ b/build/gcc.mak
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ boost_regex_clean :
 
 ./gcc/libboost_regex.a : gcc/boost_regex/c_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex/c_regex_traits_common.o gcc/boost_regex/cpp_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex/cregex.o gcc/boost_regex/fileiter.o gcc/boost_regex/instances.o gcc/boost_regex/posix_api.o gcc/boost_regex/regex.o gcc/boost_regex/regex_debug.o gcc/boost_regex/regex_synch.o gcc/boost_regex/w32_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex/wide_posix_api.o gcc/boost_regex/winstances.o
 	ar -r gcc/libboost_regex.a  gcc/boost_regex/c_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex/c_regex_traits_common.o gcc/boost_regex/cpp_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex/cregex.o gcc/boost_regex/fileiter.o gcc/boost_regex/instances.o gcc/boost_regex/posix_api.o gcc/boost_regex/regex.o gcc/boost_regex/regex_debug.o gcc/boost_regex/regex_synch.o gcc/boost_regex/w32_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex/wide_posix_api.o gcc/boost_regex/winstances.o
+	-ar -s gcc/libboost_regex.a
 
 ########################################################
 #
@@ -148,4 +149,5 @@ boost_regex_debug_clean :
 
 ./gcc/libboost_regex_debug.a : gcc/boost_regex_debug/c_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/c_regex_traits_common.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/cpp_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/cregex.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/fileiter.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/instances.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/posix_api.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/regex.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/regex_debug.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/regex_synch.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/w32_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/wide_posix_api.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/winstances.o
 	ar -r gcc/libboost_regex_debug.a  gcc/boost_regex_debug/c_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/c_regex_traits_common.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/cpp_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/cregex.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/fileiter.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/instances.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/posix_api.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/regex.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/regex_debug.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/regex_synch.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/w32_regex_traits.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/wide_posix_api.o gcc/boost_regex_debug/winstances.o
+	-ar -s gcc/libboost_regex_debug.a
 
diff --git a/build/gcc_gen.sh b/build/gcc_gen.sh
index 63dc5445..f630dd72 100644
--- a/build/gcc_gen.sh
+++ b/build/gcc_gen.sh
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ EOF
 	else
 		echo ./$subdir/lib$libname.a : $all_obj >> $tout
 		echo "	ar -r $subdir/lib$libname.a $all_obj" >> $tout
+		echo "	-ar -s $subdir/lib$libname.a" >> $tout
 	fi
 	echo "" >> $tout
 }
@@ -234,3 +235,4 @@ gcc_gen_shared
 # remove tmep files;
 rm -f $tout $iout
 
+
diff --git a/src/c_regex_traits.cpp b/src/c_regex_traits.cpp
index d4aaca59..eb671cb1 100644
--- a/src/c_regex_traits.cpp
+++ b/src/c_regex_traits.cpp
@@ -664,7 +664,9 @@ void BOOST_REGEX_CALL c_regex_traits<char>::m_free()
    re_free_classes();
    re_free_collate();
    --entry_count;
-   if(entry_count == 0)
+   // add reference to static member here to ensure
+   // that the linker includes it in the .exe:
+   if((entry_count == 0) && (0 != &c_regex_traits<char>::i))
    {
       delete ctype_name;
       delete collate_name;
@@ -888,7 +890,9 @@ void BOOST_REGEX_CALL c_regex_traits<wchar_t>::m_free()
    re_message_free();
    re_free_classes();
    re_free_collate();
-   if(nlsw_count == 0)
+   // add reference to static member here to ensure
+   // that the linker includes it in the .exe:
+   if((nlsw_count == 0) && (0 != &c_regex_traits<wchar_t>::init_))
    {
       // cleanup:
       delete wlocale_name;
diff --git a/src/w32_regex_traits.cpp b/src/w32_regex_traits.cpp
index fd10d5d2..fb1aee30 100644
--- a/src/w32_regex_traits.cpp
+++ b/src/w32_regex_traits.cpp
@@ -382,9 +382,12 @@ void BOOST_REGEX_CALL w32_traits_base::do_free()
 {
    BOOST_RE_GUARD_STACK
    delete[] pclasses;
+   pclasses = 0;
    delete pcoll_names;
+   pcoll_names = 0;
 #ifndef BOOST_NO_WREGEX
    delete syntax;
+   syntax = 0;
 #endif
    if(hresmod)
    {
@@ -399,6 +402,7 @@ void BOOST_REGEX_CALL w32_traits_base::do_free()
          re_custom_error_messages[i] = 0;
       }
    }
+   is_init = false;
 }
 
 std::string BOOST_REGEX_CALL w32_traits_base::error_string(unsigned id)
@@ -498,7 +502,9 @@ w32_regex_traits<char>::~w32_regex_traits()
 #ifdef BOOST_HAS_THREADS
    re_detail::cs_guard g(*re_detail::p_re_lock);
 #endif
-   if(--entry_count == 0)
+   // add reference to static member here to ensure
+   // that the linker includes it in the .exe:
+   if((--entry_count == 0) && (0 != &w32_regex_traits<char>::i))
       do_free();
 #ifdef BOOST_HAS_THREADS
    g.acquire(false);
@@ -665,7 +671,9 @@ w32_regex_traits<wchar_t>::~w32_regex_traits()
 #ifdef BOOST_HAS_THREADS
    re_detail::cs_guard g(*re_detail::p_re_lock);
 #endif
-   if(--entry_count == 0)
+   // add reference to static member here to ensure
+   // that the linker includes it in the .exe:
+   if((--entry_count == 0) && (0 != &w32_regex_traits<wchar_t>::init_))
       do_free();
 #ifdef BOOST_HAS_THREADS
    g.acquire(false);
diff --git a/test/regress/tests.cpp b/test/regress/tests.cpp
index 3ae3ea98..30259b75 100644
--- a/test/regress/tests.cpp
+++ b/test/regress/tests.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@
 #include <boost/regex.hpp>
 #include "regress.h"
 
+# ifdef BOOST_MSVC
+#  pragma warning(disable: 4244 4267)
+#endif
+
 using namespace boost;
 
 template <class M1, class M2>