Index: python/python.mk
===================================================================
--- python/python.mk	(revision 1352)
+++ python/python.mk	(working copy)
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@
 	);
 	touch $(PYTHON_DIR)/.hostpython
 
+ifeq ($(strip $(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_SHARED_LIB)),y)
+PYTHON_CONF_EXTRA := --enable-shared
+else
+PYTHON_CONF_EXTRA := 
+endif
+
 $(PYTHON_DIR)/.configured: $(PYTHON_DIR)/.hostpython
 	(cd $(PYTHON_DIR); rm -rf config.cache; \
 		$(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS) \
@@ -48,9 +54,10 @@
 		--prefix=/usr \
 		--sysconfdir=/etc \
 		--with-cxx=no \
+		$(PYTHON_CONF_EXTRA) \
 		$(DISABLE_NLS) \
 	);
 	touch $(PYTHON_DIR)/.configured
 
 python: uclibc $(TARGET_DIR)/$(PYTHON_TARGET_BINARY)
 
Index: python/Config.in
===================================================================
--- python/Config.in	(revision 1352)
+++ python/Config.in	(working copy)
@@ -5,3 +5,10 @@
 	  The python language interpreter.
 
 	  http://www.python.org/
+
+config BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON_SHARED_LIB
+	bool "include shared library"
+	default n
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON
+	help
+	  Build and install the python shared library.