diff --git a/package/Config.in b/package/Config.in
index 2163ae54d9..98006453c0 100644
--- a/package/Config.in
+++ b/package/Config.in
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ source "package/pppd/Config.in"
 source "package/procps/Config.in"
 source "package/python/Config.in"
 source "package/raidtools/Config.in"
+source "package/readline/Config.in"
 source "package/rsync/Config.in"
 source "package/rxvt/Config.in"
 source "package/sfdisk/Config.in"
diff --git a/package/readline/Config.in b/package/readline/Config.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c27c6bec47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package/readline/Config.in
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#
+config BR2_READLINE
+	bool "readline"
+	default y
+	help
+	    Enable GNU readline support?
+
diff --git a/package/readline/Makefile.in b/package/readline/Makefile.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..63b907da0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package/readline/Makefile.in
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+ifeq ($(strip $(BR2_READLINE)),y)
+TARGETS+=readline
+endif
+ifeq ($(strip $(BR2_PACKAGE_READLINE_TARGET)),y)
+TARGETS+=readline_target
+endif
diff --git a/package/readline/readline.mk b/package/readline/readline.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..df38572dee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package/readline/readline.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+#############################################################
+#
+# build GNU readline 
+#
+#############################################################
+READLINE_VER:=5.0
+READLINE_SITE:=ftp://ftp.cwru.edu/pub/bash
+READLINE_SOURCE:=readline-$(READLINE_VER).tar.gz
+#READLINE_DIR1:=$(TOOL_BUILD_DIR)/readline-$(READLINE_VER)
+READLINE_DIR1:=$(BUILD_DIR)/readline-$(READLINE_VER)
+#READLINE_DIR2:=$(BUILD_DIR)/readline-$(READLINE_VER)
+READLINE_CAT:=zcat
+
+##READLINE_BINARY:=readline
+##READLINE_TARGET_BINARY:=usr/bin/readline
+#READLINE_BINARY:=libreadline.a
+READLINE_BINARY:=libhistory.so.$(READLINE_VER)
+READLINE_TARGET_BINARY:=$(TARGET_DIR)/lib/$(READLINE_BINARY)
+#READLINE_TARGET_BINARY:=$(DEST_DIR)/usr/lib/libreadline.a
+
+
+
+$(DL_DIR)/$(READLINE_SOURCE):
+	$(WGET) -P $(DL_DIR) $(READLINE_SITE)/$(READLINE_SOURCE)
+
+$(READLINE_DIR1)/.unpacked: $(DL_DIR)/$(READLINE_SOURCE)
+	$(READLINE_CAT) $(DL_DIR)/$(READLINE_SOURCE) | tar -C $(BUILD_DIR) $(TAR_OPTIONS) -
+	# patch to fix old autoconf
+	patch -d $(READLINE_DIR1) -p1 -u  < $(BASE_DIR)/package/readline/readline5.patch
+	touch $(READLINE_DIR1)/.unpacked
+
+
+#		--target=$(GNU_HOST_NAME) \
+# gnu-host-name: $(GNU_HOST_NAME)  powerpc-pc-linux-gnu   
+#		--host=powerpc-linux-uclibc \
+#		--program-prefix=$(TARGET_CROSS) \
+
+$(READLINE_DIR1)/.configured: $(READLINE_DIR1)/.unpacked
+	mkdir -p $(READLINE_DIR1)
+	# gnu-host-name: $(GNU_HOST_NAME) 
+	(cd $(READLINE_DIR1); rm -rf config.cache; \
+		$(READLINE_DIR1)/configure \
+		--build=powerpc-linux-uclibc \
+		--host=powerpc-linux-uclibc \
+		--prefix=$(STAGING_DIR) \
+	);
+	touch $(READLINE_DIR1)/.configured
+
+# old:		--prefix=$(TARGET_DIR) \
+# oldest:	--prefix=$(TARGET_DIR)/opt/vp \
+
+# -SAJ changed HOSTCC to TARGET_CC
+$(READLINE_DIR1)/$(READLINE_BINARY): $(READLINE_DIR1)/.configured
+	#$(MAKE) -e CC=$(TARGET_CC) -C $(READLINE_DIR1)
+	$(MAKE)  -C $(READLINE_DIR1)
+	#$(MAKE) -e CC=$(TARGET_CC) -C $(READLINE_DIR1) install
+	# $(MAKE) -e CC=$(TARGET_CC) -C $(READLINE_DIR1) DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR)/opt/vp install
+
+$(STAGING_DIR)/$(READLINE_TARGET_BINARY): $(READLINE_DIR1)/$(READLINE_BINARY)
+	#$(MAKE) -e CC=$(TARGET_CC) -C $(READLINE_DIR1)  install
+	$(MAKE) -C $(READLINE_DIR1)  install
+
+readline: $(STAGING_DIR)/$(READLINE_TARGET_BINARY)
+	# VP- do these post-install steps to clean up runtime env.
+	# VP- remove static libs from runtime environment
+	# also install  .so library files to target root
+	$(MAKE) -C $(READLINE_DIR1)  install-shared DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR)
+	### rm $(TARGET_DIR)/lib/libreadline.a
+	## #rm $(TARGET_DIR)/lib/libhistory.a
+	# VP- remove backup versions runtime environment
+	## #rm $(TARGET_DIR)/lib/libreadline*old
+	## #rm $(TARGET_DIR)/lib/libhistory*old
+
+readline-clean:
+	$(MAKE) -C $(READLINE_DIR1) uninstall
+	-$(MAKE) -C $(READLINE_DIR1) clean
+
+readline-dirclean:
+	rm -rf $(READLINE_DIR1)
+
+readline-source:  $(DL_DIR)/$(READLINE_SOURCE)   $(READLINE_DIR1)/.unpacked
+
diff --git a/package/readline/readline5.patch b/package/readline/readline5.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..083ac789c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package/readline/readline5.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+diff -urN orig-readline/support/config.sub readline-5.0/support/config.sub
+--- orig-readline/support/config.sub	2003-09-10 09:16:12.000000000 -0400
++++ readline-5.0/support/config.sub	2004-11-23 14:54:59.000000000 -0500
+@@ -1115,7 +1115,7 @@
+ 	      | -storm-chaos* | -tops10* | -tenex* | -tops20* | -its* \
+ 	      | -os2* | -vos* | -palmos* | -uclinux* | -nucleus* \
+ 	      | -morphos* | -superux* | -rtmk* | -rtmk-nova* | -windiss* \
+-	      | -powermax* | -dnix*)
++	      | -powermax* | -dnix* | -uclibc*)
+ 	# Remember, each alternative MUST END IN *, to match a version number.
+ 		;;
+ 	-qnx*)