diff --git a/package/python3/Config.in.host b/package/python3/Config.in.host
index 77d608bdc0..88c286c55b 100644
--- a/package/python3/Config.in.host
+++ b/package/python3/Config.in.host
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_PYTHON3_BZIP2
 	help
 	  bz2 module for host Python3.
 
+config BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_PYTHON3_CURSES
+	bool "curses"
+	help
+	  curses module for host Python3.
+
 config BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_PYTHON3_SSL
 	bool "ssl"
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_OPENSSL
diff --git a/package/python3/python3.mk b/package/python3/python3.mk
index b9c5054a21..7a704d81e0 100644
--- a/package/python3/python3.mk
+++ b/package/python3/python3.mk
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ HOST_PYTHON3_CONF_OPTS += \
 	--disable-sqlite3 \
 	--disable-tk \
 	--with-expat=system \
-	--disable-curses \
 	--disable-codecs-cjk \
 	--disable-nis \
 	--enable-unicodedata \
@@ -55,6 +54,12 @@ else
 HOST_PYTHON3_CONF_OPTS += --disable-bzip2
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_PYTHON3_CURSES),y)
+HOST_PYTHON3_DEPENDENCIES += host-ncurses
+else
+HOST_PYTHON3_CONF_OPTS += --disable-curses
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_PYTHON3_SSL),y)
 HOST_PYTHON3_DEPENDENCIES += host-openssl
 else