diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index f213a5e0bd..a086f8448a 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -244,18 +244,6 @@ def progress_function(node):
 if os.environ.get('SCONS_PROGRESS'):
   Progress(progress_function, interval=node_interval)
 
-SHARED = False
-
-# TODO: this can probably be removed
-def abspath(x):
-  if arch == 'aarch64':
-    pth = os.path.join("/data/pythonpath", x[0].path)
-    env.Depends(pth, x)
-    return File(pth)
-  else:
-    # rpath works elsewhere
-    return x[0].path.rsplit("/", 1)[1][:-3]
-
 # Cython build environment
 py_include = sysconfig.get_paths()['include']
 envCython = env.Clone()
@@ -337,34 +325,35 @@ if GetOption("clazy"):
   qt_env['ENV']['CLAZY_IGNORE_DIRS'] = qt_dirs[0]
   qt_env['ENV']['CLAZY_CHECKS'] = ','.join(checks)
 
-Export('env', 'qt_env', 'arch', 'real_arch', 'SHARED')
+Export('env', 'qt_env', 'arch', 'real_arch')
 
+# Build common module
 SConscript(['common/SConscript'])
 Import('_common', '_gpucommon')
 
-if SHARED:
-  common, gpucommon = abspath(common), abspath(gpucommon)
-else:
-  common = [_common, 'json11']
-  gpucommon = [_gpucommon]
+common = [_common, 'json11']
+gpucommon = [_gpucommon]
 
 Export('common', 'gpucommon')
 
-# cereal and messaging are shared with the system
+# Build cereal and messaging
 SConscript(['cereal/SConscript'])
-if SHARED:
-  cereal = abspath([File('cereal/libcereal_shared.so')])
-  messaging = abspath([File('cereal/libmessaging_shared.so')])
-else:
-  cereal = [File('#cereal/libcereal.a')]
-  messaging = [File('#cereal/libmessaging.a')]
-  visionipc = [File('#cereal/libvisionipc.a')]
+
+cereal = [File('#cereal/libcereal.a')]
+messaging = [File('#cereal/libmessaging.a')]
+visionipc = [File('#cereal/libvisionipc.a')]
 messaging_python = [File('#cereal/messaging/messaging_pyx.so')]
 
 Export('cereal', 'messaging', 'messaging_python', 'visionipc')
 
-# Build rednose library and ekf models
+# Build other submodules
+SConscript([
+  'body/board/SConscript',
+  'opendbc/can/SConscript',
+  'panda/SConscript',
+])
 
+# Build rednose library and ekf models
 rednose_deps = [
   "#selfdrive/locationd/models/constants.py",
   "#selfdrive/locationd/models/gnss_helpers.py",
@@ -406,15 +395,6 @@ if arch != "Darwin":
   ])
 
 # Build openpilot
-
-# build submodules
-SConscript([
-  'body/board/SConscript',
-  'cereal/SConscript',
-  'opendbc/can/SConscript',
-  'panda/SConscript',
-])
-
 SConscript(['third_party/SConscript'])
 
 SConscript(['selfdrive/boardd/SConscript'])
diff --git a/common/SConscript b/common/SConscript
index d22aca128b..97322b248d 100644
--- a/common/SConscript
+++ b/common/SConscript
@@ -1,9 +1,4 @@
-Import('env', 'envCython', 'arch', 'SHARED')
-
-if SHARED:
-  fxn = env.SharedLibrary
-else:
-  fxn = env.Library
+Import('env', 'envCython', 'arch')
 
 common_libs = [
   'params.cc',
@@ -18,13 +13,13 @@ common_libs = [
 if arch != "Darwin":
   common_libs.append('gpio.cc')
 
-_common = fxn('common', common_libs, LIBS="json11")
+_common = env.Library('common', common_libs, LIBS="json11")
 
 files = [
   'clutil.cc',
 ]
 
-_gpucommon = fxn('gpucommon', files)
+_gpucommon = env.Library('gpucommon', files)
 Export('_common', '_gpucommon')
 
 if GetOption('extras'):