diff --git src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php
index 668989b..258c97b 100644
--- src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php
+++ src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php
@@ -2255,58 +2255,76 @@ final class WP_Customize_Manager {
 		}
 
 		/* Static Front Page */
-		// #WP19627
+		// See also https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/19627 which introduces the the static-front-page theme_support.
 
 		// Replicate behavior from options-reading.php and hide front page options if there are no pages
-		if ( get_pages() ) {
-			$this->add_section( 'static_front_page', array(
-				'title'          => __( 'Static Front Page' ),
-			//	'theme_supports' => 'static-front-page',
-				'priority'       => 120,
-				'description'    => __( 'Your theme supports a static front page.' ),
-			) );
+		$this->add_section( 'static_front_page', array(
+			'title' => __( 'Static Front Page' ),
+			'priority' => 120,
+			'description' => __( 'Your theme supports a static front page.' ),
+			'active_callback' => array( $this, 'has_published_pages' ),
+		) );
 
-			$this->add_setting( 'show_on_front', array(
-				'default'        => get_option( 'show_on_front' ),
-				'capability'     => 'manage_options',
-				'type'           => 'option',
-			//	'theme_supports' => 'static-front-page',
-			) );
+		$this->add_setting( 'show_on_front', array(
+			'default' => get_option( 'show_on_front' ),
+			'capability' => 'manage_options',
+			'type' => 'option',
+		) );
 
-			$this->add_control( 'show_on_front', array(
-				'label'   => __( 'Front page displays' ),
-				'section' => 'static_front_page',
-				'type'    => 'radio',
-				'choices' => array(
-					'posts' => __( 'Your latest posts' ),
-					'page'  => __( 'A static page' ),
-				),
-			) );
+		$this->add_control( 'show_on_front', array(
+			'label' => __( 'Front page displays' ),
+			'section' => 'static_front_page',
+			'type' => 'radio',
+			'choices' => array(
+				'posts' => __( 'Your latest posts' ),
+				'page' => __( 'A static page' ),
+			),
+			'active_callback' => array( $this, 'has_published_pages' ),
+		) );
 
-			$this->add_setting( 'page_on_front', array(
-				'type'       => 'option',
-				'capability' => 'manage_options',
-			//	'theme_supports' => 'static-front-page',
-			) );
+		$this->add_setting( 'page_on_front', array(
+			'type' => 'option',
+			'capability' => 'manage_options',
+		) );
 
-			$this->add_control( 'page_on_front', array(
-				'label'      => __( 'Front page' ),
-				'section'    => 'static_front_page',
-				'type'       => 'dropdown-pages',
-			) );
+		$this->add_control( 'page_on_front', array(
+			'label' => __( 'Front page' ),
+			'section' => 'static_front_page',
+			'type' => 'dropdown-pages',
+			'active_callback' => array( $this, 'has_published_pages' ),
+		) );
 
-			$this->add_setting( 'page_for_posts', array(
-				'type'           => 'option',
-				'capability'     => 'manage_options',
-			//	'theme_supports' => 'static-front-page',
-			) );
+		$this->add_setting( 'page_for_posts', array(
+			'type' => 'option',
+			'capability' => 'manage_options',
+		) );
 
-			$this->add_control( 'page_for_posts', array(
-				'label'      => __( 'Posts page' ),
-				'section'    => 'static_front_page',
-				'type'       => 'dropdown-pages',
-			) );
-		}
+		$this->add_control( 'page_for_posts', array(
+			'label' => __( 'Posts page' ),
+			'section' => 'static_front_page',
+			'type' => 'dropdown-pages',
+			'active_callback' => array( $this, 'has_published_pages' ),
+		) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Return whether there are published pages.
+	 *
+	 * Used as active callback for static front page section and controls.
+	 *
+	 * @access private
+	 * @since 4.7.0
+	 *
+	 * @returns bool Whether there are published (or to be published) pages.
+	 */
+	public function has_published_pages() {
+
+		// @todo Also look to see if there are any pages among in $this->get_setting( 'nav_menus_created_posts' )->value().
+		return 0 !== count( get_pages( array(
+			'post_type' => 'page',
+			'post_status' => 'publish',
+			'number' => 1,
+		) ) );
 	}
 
 	/**