diff --git a/src/V3LinkParse.cpp b/src/V3LinkParse.cpp
index 766eaabbd..1a8956a43 100644
--- a/src/V3LinkParse.cpp
+++ b/src/V3LinkParse.cpp
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class LinkParseVisitor final : public VNVisitor {
     int m_beginDepth = 0;  // How many begin blocks above current node within current AstNodeModule
     VLifetime m_lifetime = VLifetime::STATIC;  // Propagating lifetime
     bool m_insideLoop = false;  // True if the node is inside a loop
+    bool m_lifetimeAllowed = false;  // True to allow lifetime settings
     VDouble0 m_statModules;  // Number of modules seen
 
     // METHODS
@@ -185,6 +186,8 @@ class LinkParseVisitor final : public VNVisitor {
             VL_RESTORER(m_ftaskp);
             VL_RESTORER(m_lifetime);
             m_ftaskp = nodep;
+            VL_RESTORER(m_lifetimeAllowed);
+            m_lifetimeAllowed = true;
             if (!nodep->lifetime().isNone()) {
                 m_lifetime = nodep->lifetime();
             } else {
@@ -290,7 +293,13 @@ class LinkParseVisitor final : public VNVisitor {
                                      "loop converted to automatic");
         }
         if (nodep->varType() != VVarType::PORT) {
-            if (nodep->lifetime().isNone()) nodep->lifetime(m_lifetime);
+            if (nodep->lifetime().isNone()) {
+                if (m_lifetimeAllowed) {
+                    nodep->lifetime(m_lifetime);
+                } else {  // Module's always static per IEEE 1800-2023 6.21
+                    nodep->lifetime(VLifetime::STATIC);
+                }
+            }
         } else if (m_ftaskp) {
             nodep->lifetime(VLifetime::AUTOMATIC);
         } else if (nodep->lifetime()
@@ -612,6 +621,7 @@ class LinkParseVisitor final : public VNVisitor {
         VL_RESTORER(m_genblkNum);
         VL_RESTORER(m_beginDepth);
         VL_RESTORER(m_lifetime);
+        VL_RESTORER(m_lifetimeAllowed);
         {
             // Module: Create sim table for entire module and iterate
             cleanFileline(nodep);
@@ -624,6 +634,7 @@ class LinkParseVisitor final : public VNVisitor {
             m_beginDepth = 0;
             m_valueModp = nodep;
             m_lifetime = nodep->lifetime();
+            m_lifetimeAllowed = VN_IS(nodep, Class);
             if (m_lifetime.isNone()) {
                 m_lifetime = VN_IS(nodep, Class) ? VLifetime::AUTOMATIC : VLifetime::STATIC;
             }
@@ -643,10 +654,16 @@ class LinkParseVisitor final : public VNVisitor {
         m_valueModp = nullptr;
         iterateChildren(nodep);
     }
-    void visit(AstNodeProcedure* nodep) override { visitIterateNoValueMod(nodep); }
+    void visit(AstNodeProcedure* nodep) override {
+        VL_RESTORER(m_lifetimeAllowed);
+        m_lifetimeAllowed = true;
+        visitIterateNoValueMod(nodep);
+    }
     void visit(AstAlways* nodep) override {
         VL_RESTORER(m_inAlways);
         m_inAlways = true;
+        VL_RESTORER(m_lifetimeAllowed);
+        m_lifetimeAllowed = true;
         visitIterateNoValueMod(nodep);
     }
     void visit(AstCover* nodep) override { visitIterateNoValueMod(nodep); }
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_mod_automatic.py b/test_regress/t/t_mod_automatic.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..d4f986441
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_mod_automatic.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# DESCRIPTION: Verilator: Verilog Test driver/expect definition
+#
+# Copyright 2024 by Wilson Snyder. This program is free software; you
+# can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU
+# Lesser General Public License Version 3 or the Perl Artistic License
+# Version 2.0.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-only OR Artistic-2.0
+
+import vltest_bootstrap
+
+test.scenarios('simulator')
+
+test.compile()
+
+test.execute()
+
+test.passes()
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_mod_automatic.v b/test_regress/t/t_mod_automatic.v
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c3ffb868a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_mod_automatic.v
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+// DESCRIPTION: Verilator: Verilog Test module
+//
+// This file ONLY is placed under the Creative Commons Public Domain, for
+// any use, without warranty, 2024 by Wilson Snyder.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: CC0-1.0
+
+module automatic t(/*AUTOARG*/);
+
+   task static accum_s(input integer value, output integer result);
+      static int acc = 1;
+      acc = acc + value;
+      result = acc;
+   endtask
+
+   task accum_a(input integer value, output integer result);
+      int acc = 1;  // automatic
+      acc = acc + value;
+      result = acc;
+   endtask
+
+   integer value;
+
+   reg failed = 0;  // Static
+
+   initial begin
+      accum_s(2, value);
+      $display("%d", value);
+      if (value !== 3) failed = 1;
+
+      accum_s(3, value);
+      $display("%d", value);
+      if (value !== 6) failed = 1;
+
+      accum_a(2, value);
+      $display("%d", value);
+      if (value !== 3) failed = 1;
+
+      accum_a(3, value);
+      $display("%d", value);
+      if (value !== 4) failed = 1;
+
+      if (failed) $stop;
+      $write("*-* All Finished *-*\n");
+      $finish;
+   end
+
+endmodule