diff --git a/package/netsnmp/Config.in b/package/netsnmp/Config.in
index 431be2d383..108ab83936 100644
--- a/package/netsnmp/Config.in
+++ b/package/netsnmp/Config.in
@@ -14,3 +14,12 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_NETSNMP_ENABLE_MIBS
 	  The net-snmp package contains a selection of MIB files.
 	  Say yes if you want those MIB files installed on the target
 	  and enable the code that parses the MIB files.
+
+config BR2_PACKAGE_NETSNMP_ENABLE_DEBUGGING
+	bool "Enable debugging code"
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_NETSNMP
+	help
+	  By default net-snmp is compiled without debugging support
+	  (--disable-debugging). Enable this options if you need debugging
+	  support, including the ability to log with DEBUGMSG(),
+	  DEBUGMSGTL() and companion macros.
diff --git a/package/netsnmp/netsnmp.mk b/package/netsnmp/netsnmp.mk
index 959e39f154..448e3fdb07 100644
--- a/package/netsnmp/netsnmp.mk
+++ b/package/netsnmp/netsnmp.mk
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ NETSNMP_CONF_ENV = ac_cv_NETSNMP_CAN_USE_SYSCTL=yes
 NETSNMP_CONF_OPT = --with-persistent-directory=/var/lib/snmp --disable-static \
 		--with-defaults --enable-mini-agent --without-rpm \
 		--with-logfile=none --without-kmem-usage $(DISABLE_IPV6) \
-		--enable-as-needed --disable-debugging --without-perl-modules \
+		--enable-as-needed --without-perl-modules \
 		--disable-embedded-perl --disable-perl-cc-checks \
 		--disable-scripts --with-default-snmp-version="1" \
 		--enable-silent-libtool --enable-mfd-rewrites \
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ define NETSNMP_REMOVE_MIBS_IPV6
 endef
 endif
 
+ifneq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_NETSNMP_ENABLE_DEBUGGING),y)
+	NETSNMP_CONF_OPT += --disable-debugging
+endif
+
 define NETSNMP_INSTALL_TARGET_CMDS
 	$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) $(MAKE) -C $(@D) \
 		DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR) install