A system and method for eliminating static initialization overhead by memory space cloning of a master runtime system process is presented. A master runtime system process is executed. One or more static initialization methods are identified. Each static initialization method is uniquely associated with a class provided in a runtime system and specifies a source definition provided as object-oriented program code. At least one static initialization method is executed in a memory space of the master runtime system process. The memory space is cloned as a child runtime system process responsive to a process request. The child runtime system process is executed. In one embodiment, a full garbage collection is performed by promoting objects created during static initialization into the older generation.