diff --git a/include/utils/String8.h b/include/utils/String8.h
index 9426fcf..ef59470 100644
--- a/include/utils/String8.h
+++ b/include/utils/String8.h
@@ -37,7 +37,16 @@
 class String8
 {
 public:
+    /* use String8(StaticLinkage) if you're statically linking against
+     * libutils and declaring an empty static String8, e.g.:
+     *
+     *   static String8 sAStaticEmptyString(String8::kEmptyString);
+     *   static String8 sAnotherStaticEmptyString(sAStaticEmptyString);
+     */
+    enum StaticLinkage { kEmptyString };
+
                                 String8();
+    explicit                    String8(StaticLinkage);
                                 String8(const String8& o);
     explicit                    String8(const char* o);
     explicit                    String8(const char* o, size_t numChars);