diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 4ef7a3facce..8b2263f53b3 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ if(STATIC_LINK_VW)
     if(NOT ZLIB_LIBRARY)
       file(GLOB ZLIB_LIBRARY /usr/local/Cellar/zlib/*/lib/libz.a)
     endif()
-  elseif()
+  else()
     set(LINK_THREADS -Wl,--whole-archive -lpthread -Wl,--no-whole-archive)
     set(unix_static_flag -static)
   endif()