diff --git a/mockito-kotlin/src/main/kotlin/org/mockito/kotlin/Mocking.kt b/mockito-kotlin/src/main/kotlin/org/mockito/kotlin/Mocking.kt
index bf8aa97..d8532a2 100644
--- a/mockito-kotlin/src/main/kotlin/org/mockito/kotlin/Mocking.kt
+++ b/mockito-kotlin/src/main/kotlin/org/mockito/kotlin/Mocking.kt
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 
 package org.mockito.kotlin
 
-import org.mockito.Incubating
 import org.mockito.MockSettings
 import org.mockito.MockedConstruction
 import org.mockito.MockedStatic
@@ -51,7 +50,8 @@ import kotlin.reflect.KClass
  * @param stubOnly A stub-only mock does not record method invocations, thus saving memory but disallowing verification of invocations.
  * @param useConstructor Mockito attempts to use constructor when creating instance of the mock.
  * @param outerInstance Makes it possible to mock non-static inner classes in conjunction with [useConstructor].
- * @param lenient Lenient mocks bypass "strict stubbing" validation.
+ * @param lenient (DEPRECATED) Lenient mocks bypass "strict stubbing" validation.
+ * @param strictness Specifies strictness level for the mock.
  */
 inline fun <reified T : Any> mock(
     extraInterfaces: Array<out KClass<out Any>>? = null,
@@ -63,9 +63,10 @@ inline fun <reified T : Any> mock(
     verboseLogging: Boolean = false,
     invocationListeners: Array<InvocationListener>? = null,
     stubOnly: Boolean = false,
-    @Incubating useConstructor: UseConstructor? = null,
-    @Incubating outerInstance: Any? = null,
-    @Incubating lenient: Boolean = false
+    useConstructor: UseConstructor? = null,
+    outerInstance: Any? = null,
+    lenient: Boolean = false,
+    strictness: Strictness? = if (lenient) Strictness.LENIENT else null,
 ): T {
     return Mockito.mock(
           T::class.java,
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ inline fun <reified T : Any> mock(
                 stubOnly = stubOnly,
                 useConstructor = useConstructor,
                 outerInstance = outerInstance,
-                lenient = lenient
+                strictness = strictness
           )
     )!!
 }
@@ -100,7 +101,8 @@ inline fun <reified T : Any> mock(
  * @param stubOnly A stub-only mock does not record method invocations, thus saving memory but disallowing verification of invocations.
  * @param useConstructor Mockito attempts to use constructor when creating instance of the mock.
  * @param outerInstance Makes it possible to mock non-static inner classes in conjunction with [useConstructor].
- * @param lenient Lenient mocks bypass "strict stubbing" validation.
+ * @param lenient (DEPRECATED) Lenient mocks bypass "strict stubbing" validation.
+ * @param strictness Specifies strictness level for the mock.
  */
 inline fun <reified T : Any> mock(
     extraInterfaces: Array<out KClass<out Any>>? = null,
@@ -112,9 +114,10 @@ inline fun <reified T : Any> mock(
     verboseLogging: Boolean = false,
     invocationListeners: Array<InvocationListener>? = null,
     stubOnly: Boolean = false,
-    @Incubating useConstructor: UseConstructor? = null,
-    @Incubating outerInstance: Any? = null,
-    @Incubating lenient: Boolean = false,
+    useConstructor: UseConstructor? = null,
+    outerInstance: Any? = null,
+    lenient: Boolean = false,
+    strictness: Strictness? = if (lenient) Strictness.LENIENT else null,
     stubbing: KStubbing<T>.(T) -> Unit
 ): T {
     return Mockito.mock(
@@ -131,7 +134,7 @@ inline fun <reified T : Any> mock(
                 stubOnly = stubOnly,
                 useConstructor = useConstructor,
                 outerInstance = outerInstance,
-                lenient = lenient
+                strictness = strictness,
           )
     ).apply { KStubbing(this).stubbing(this) }!!
 }
@@ -151,7 +154,8 @@ inline fun <reified T : Any> mock(
  * @param stubOnly A stub-only mock does not record method invocations, thus saving memory but disallowing verification of invocations.
  * @param useConstructor Mockito attempts to use constructor when creating instance of the mock.
  * @param outerInstance Makes it possible to mock non-static inner classes in conjunction with [useConstructor].
- * @param lenient Lenient mocks bypass "strict stubbing" validation.
+ * @param lenient (DEPRECATED) Lenient mocks bypass "strict stubbing" validation.
+ * @param strictness Specifies strictness level for the mock.
  */
 fun withSettings(
     extraInterfaces: Array<out KClass<out Any>>? = null,
@@ -163,9 +167,10 @@ fun withSettings(
     verboseLogging: Boolean = false,
     invocationListeners: Array<InvocationListener>? = null,
     stubOnly: Boolean = false,
-    @Incubating useConstructor: UseConstructor? = null,
-    @Incubating outerInstance: Any? = null,
-    @Incubating lenient: Boolean = false
+    useConstructor: UseConstructor? = null,
+    outerInstance: Any? = null,
+    lenient: Boolean = false,
+    strictness: Strictness? = if (lenient) Strictness.LENIENT else null,
 ): MockSettings = Mockito.withSettings().apply {
     extraInterfaces?.let { extraInterfaces(*it.map { it.java }.toTypedArray()) }
     name?.let { name(it) }
@@ -178,16 +183,19 @@ fun withSettings(
     if (stubOnly) stubOnly()
     useConstructor?.let { useConstructor(*it.args) }
     outerInstance?.let { outerInstance(it) }
-    if (lenient) strictness(Strictness.LENIENT)
+    strictness?.let { strictness(it) }
 }
 
 /**
  * Creates a thread-local mock for static methods on [T].
  *
+ * @param defaultAnswer the default answer when invoking static methods.
  * @see Mockito.mockStatic
  */
-inline fun <reified T> mockStatic(): MockedStatic<T> {
-    return Mockito.mockStatic(T::class.java)
+inline fun <reified T> mockStatic(
+    defaultAnswer: Answer<Any>? = null,
+): MockedStatic<T> {
+    return Mockito.mockStatic(T::class.java, withSettings(defaultAnswer = defaultAnswer))
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/tests/src/test/kotlin/test/MockingTest.kt b/tests/src/test/kotlin/test/MockingTest.kt
index bd75130..08c6166 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/kotlin/test/MockingTest.kt
+++ b/tests/src/test/kotlin/test/MockingTest.kt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import org.mockito.kotlin.whenever
 import org.mockito.kotlin.any
 import org.junit.Test
 import org.mockito.Mockito
+import org.mockito.MockitoSession
 import org.mockito.exceptions.verification.WantedButNotInvoked
 import org.mockito.invocation.DescribedInvocation
 import org.mockito.kotlin.argumentCaptor
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ import org.mockito.kotlin.mockConstruction
 import org.mockito.kotlin.mockStatic
 import org.mockito.listeners.InvocationListener
 import org.mockito.mock.SerializableMode.BASIC
+import org.mockito.quality.Strictness
 import java.io.PrintStream
 import java.io.Serializable
 import java.util.*
@@ -242,6 +244,49 @@ class MockingTest : TestBase() {
         expect(result).toNotBeNull()
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun mock_strictness_default() {
+        /* Given */
+        val session = Mockito.mockitoSession().strictness(Strictness.STRICT_STUBS).startMocking()
+
+        /* When */
+        val result = mock<SynchronousFunctions>()
+        whenever(result.intResult()).thenReturn(42)
+
+        /* Then */
+        expectErrorWithMessage("Unnecessary stubbings detected") on {
+            session.finishMocking()
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun mock_withSettingsAPI_lenient() {
+        /* Given */
+        val session = Mockito.mockitoSession().strictness(Strictness.STRICT_STUBS).startMocking()
+
+        /* When */
+        val result = mock<SynchronousFunctions>(lenient = true)
+        whenever(result.intResult()).thenReturn(42)
+
+        /* Then */
+        // Verify no "Unnecessary stubbings detected" exception
+        session.finishMocking()
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun mock_withSettingsAPI_strictness_lenient() {
+        /* Given */
+        val session = Mockito.mockitoSession().strictness(Strictness.STRICT_STUBS).startMocking()
+
+        /* When */
+        val result = mock<SynchronousFunctions>(strictness = Strictness.LENIENT)
+        whenever(result.intResult()).thenReturn(42)
+
+        /* Then */
+        // Verify no "Unnecessary stubbings detected" exception
+        session.finishMocking()
+    }
+
     @Test
     fun mockStubbing_withSettingsAPI_extraInterfaces() {
         /* Given */
@@ -399,6 +444,13 @@ class MockingTest : TestBase() {
         }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun mockStatic_defaultAnswer_stubbing() {
+        mockStatic<SomeObject>(defaultAnswer = Mockito.CALLS_REAL_METHODS).use {
+            expect(SomeObject.aStaticMethodReturningString()).toBe("Some Value")
+        }
+    }
+
     @Test
     fun mockConstruction_basic() {
         mockConstruction<Open>().use { mockedConstruction ->