diff --git a/src/compiler/bytecode.rs b/src/compiler/bytecode.rs
index 7c215100a..04f4b0659 100644
--- a/src/compiler/bytecode.rs
+++ b/src/compiler/bytecode.rs
@@ -4224,8 +4224,10 @@ impl<'a> BytecodeCompiler<'a> {
         // §13.3.1: a STATIC subroutine's variables — its locals and output
         // formals — keep their values between calls; an inline gives each
         // call fresh registers. Only an input-only static body with no
-        // declarations behaves the same either way.
-        if matches!(lifetime, Some(crate::ast::types::Lifetime::Static))
+        // declarations behaves the same either way. No written lifetime is
+        // static; elaboration marks a subroutine of an `automatic` module
+        // automatic (§13.3.1).
+        if !matches!(lifetime, Some(crate::ast::types::Lifetime::Automatic))
             && (ports
                 .iter()
                 .any(|p| !matches!(p.direction, PortDirection::Input))
diff --git a/tests/lrm.rs b/tests/lrm.rs
index 518f82951..74fb07c17 100644
--- a/tests/lrm.rs
+++ b/tests/lrm.rs
@@ -83,3 +83,5 @@ mod ch36_vpi;
 mod constraint_real_bounds;
 #[path = "lrm/harness.rs"]
 mod harness;
+#[path = "lrm/implicit_static_subroutines_keep_their_variables_when_compiled.rs"]
+mod implicit_static_subroutines_keep_their_variables_when_compiled;
diff --git a/tests/lrm/implicit_static_subroutines_keep_their_variables_when_compiled.rs b/tests/lrm/implicit_static_subroutines_keep_their_variables_when_compiled.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5b5662d2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lrm/implicit_static_subroutines_keep_their_variables_when_compiled.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+//! §6.21, §13.3.1, §13.3.2: a subroutine with no written lifetime in a static definition
+//! is static. Its variables, formals included, retain their values between
+//! invocations, also when a clocked process runs on the compiled tier.
+
+use xezim::simulate;
+
+fn lines(src: &str) -> Vec<String> {
+    let sim = simulate(src, 1000).expect("simulate failed");
+    sim.output.iter().map(|o| o.message.clone()).collect()
+}
+
+/// `clk` rises at 5, 15, ... 95: ten calls by time 100.
+const CLK: &str = "logic clk = 0; always #5 clk = ~clk;";
+
+#[test]
+fn a_module_task_with_no_written_lifetime_keeps_its_static_local() {
+    let src = format!(
+        r#"module top; {CLK} int acc = 0;
+  task tk(); static int w = 0; w++; acc += w; endtask
+  always @(posedge clk) tk();
+  initial begin #100 $display("%0d", acc); $finish; end
+endmodule"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(lines(&src), ["55"]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn only_an_automatic_task_gets_fresh_locals() {
+    let src = format!(
+        r#"module top; {CLK} int a = 0, b = 0, c = 0;
+  task automatic ta(); int w = 0; w++; a += w; endtask
+  task static ts(); static int w = 0; w++; b += w; endtask
+  task ti(); static int w = 0; w++; c += w; endtask
+  always @(posedge clk) begin ta(); ts(); ti(); end
+  initial begin #100 $display("%0d %0d %0d", a, b, c); $finish; end
+endmodule"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(lines(&src), ["10 55 55"]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_top_level_block_task_keeps_its_static_local_bare_and_by_path() {
+    let src = format!(
+        r#"module top; {CLK}
+  if (1) begin : g
+    int bare = 0, path = 0;
+    task tb(); static int w = 0; w++; bare += w; endtask
+    task tp(); static int w = 0; w++; path += w; endtask
+    always @(posedge clk) begin tb(); g.tp(); end
+  end
+  initial begin #100 $display("%0d %0d", g.bare, g.path); $finish; end
+endmodule"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(lines(&src), ["55 55"]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn block_tasks_in_an_instance_keep_one_static_local_per_generate_iteration() {
+    let src = format!(
+        r#"module m; {CLK}
+  for (genvar i = 0; i < 2; i++) begin : h
+    int acc = 0;
+    task t(); static int w = 0; w++; acc += w; endtask
+    always @(posedge clk) if (i == 0 || $time < 50) t();
+    if (1) begin : n
+      int deep = 0;
+      task d(); static int w = 0; w++; deep += w; endtask
+      always @(posedge clk) d();
+    end
+  end
+  initial #100 $display("%0d %0d %0d %0d", h[0].acc, h[1].acc, h[0].n.deep, h[1].n.deep);
+endmodule
+module top; m u(); initial #101 $finish; endmodule"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(lines(&src), ["55 15 55 55"]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_void_function_with_no_written_lifetime_keeps_its_static_local() {
+    let src = format!(
+        r#"module top; {CLK} int acc = 0;
+  function void f(); static int w = 0; w++; acc += w; endfunction
+  always @(posedge clk) f();
+  initial begin #100 $display("%0d", acc); $finish; end
+endmodule"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(lines(&src), ["55"]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_function_with_a_result_and_no_written_lifetime_keeps_its_static_local() {
+    let src = format!(
+        r#"module top; {CLK} int acc = 0;
+  function int f(); static int w = 0; w++; return w; endfunction
+  always @(posedge clk) acc += f();
+  initial begin #100 $display("%0d", acc); $finish; end
+endmodule"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(lines(&src), ["55"]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_local_without_a_qualifier_is_static_in_a_static_task() {
+    let src = format!(
+        r#"module top; {CLK} int a = 0, b = 0, c = 0;
+  task top_level(); int w; w++; a = w; endtask
+  task nested(); begin int w; w++; b += w; end endtask
+  task looped(int n); for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) begin int w; w++; c += w; end endtask
+  always @(posedge clk) begin top_level(); nested(); looped(1); end
+  initial begin #100 $display("%0d %0d %0d", a, b, c); $finish; end
+endmodule"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(lines(&src), ["10 55 55"]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn an_output_formal_of_a_static_task_retains_its_value_between_calls() {
+    let src = format!(
+        r#"module top; {CLK} int r = 0;
+  task t(output int o); o = o + 1; endtask
+  always @(posedge clk) t(r);
+  initial begin #100 $display("%0d", r); $finish; end
+endmodule"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(lines(&src), ["10"]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_static_local_is_readable_by_path_after_compiled_calls() {
+    let src = format!(
+        r#"module top; {CLK}
+  task t(); static int w = 0; w++; endtask
+  always @(posedge clk) t();
+  initial begin #100 $display("%0d", t.w); $finish; end
+endmodule"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(lines(&src), ["10"]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_task_with_no_locals_still_runs_in_a_clocked_process() {
+    let src = format!(
+        r#"module top; {CLK} int a = 0;
+  task t(int x); a += x; endtask
+  always @(posedge clk) t(2);
+  initial begin #100 $display("%0d", a); $finish; end
+endmodule"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(lines(&src), ["20"]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn subroutines_of_an_automatic_module_get_fresh_locals_also_in_a_block() {
+    let src = format!(
+        r#"module automatic top; {CLK} int a = 0, b = 0;
+  task t(); int w; w++; a += w; endtask
+  if (1) begin : g
+    task n(); int w; w++; b += w; endtask
+    always @(posedge clk) n();
+  end
+  always @(posedge clk) t();
+  initial begin #100 $display("%0d %0d", a, b); $finish; end
+endmodule"#
+    );
+    assert_eq!(lines(&src), ["10 10"]);
+}