diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index add10fe..8089053 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ pyenv_init_options: "{% if pyenv_env != 'user' %}--no-rehash{% endif %}"
 
 pyenv_update: no
 
+# additional options for the build process, e.g "--enable-shared"
+pyenv_python_configure_opts: ""
+
 pyenv_debian_packages:
   - build-essential
   - git
diff --git a/tasks/install.yml b/tasks/install.yml
index 01e8881..2351254 100644
--- a/tasks/install.yml
+++ b/tasks/install.yml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
   when: pyenv_update
   
 - name: Install Python interpreters "{{ pyenv_python_versions }}"
-  shell: . {{ pyenv_path }}/.pyenvrc && pyenv install {{ item }}
+  shell: . {{ pyenv_path }}/.pyenvrc && env PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS="{{ pyenv_python_configure_opts }}" pyenv install {{ item }}
          creates="{{ pyenv_path }}/versions/{{ item }}/bin/python"
   with_items: "{{ pyenv_python_versions }}"