diff --git a/package/python3/python3.mk b/package/python3/python3.mk
index 0144d1edaf..542f2c954a 100644
--- a/package/python3/python3.mk
+++ b/package/python3/python3.mk
@@ -155,11 +155,18 @@ ifneq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON),y)
 PYTHON3_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_HOOKS += PYTHON3_INSTALL_SYMLINK
 endif
 
+# Some packages may have build scripts requiring python3, whatever is the
+# python version chosen for the target.
+# Only install the python symlink in the host tree if python3 is enabled
+# for the target.
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON3),y)
 define HOST_PYTHON3_INSTALL_SYMLINK
 	ln -fs python3 $(HOST_DIR)/usr/bin/python
+	ln -fs python3-config $(HOST_DIR)/usr/bin/python-config
 endef
 
 HOST_PYTHON3_POST_INSTALL_HOOKS += HOST_PYTHON3_INSTALL_SYMLINK
+endif
 
 # Provided to other packages
 PYTHON3_PATH = $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib/python$(PYTHON3_VERSION_MAJOR)/sysconfigdata/:$(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib/python$(PYTHON_VERSION_MAJOR)/site-packages/