diff --git a/lang/python/Makefile b/lang/python/Makefile
index c333f8e08..3eb4e9dad 100644
--- a/lang/python/Makefile
+++ b/lang/python/Makefile
@@ -7,7 +7,13 @@
 
 include $(TOPDIR)/rules.mk
 
-# The file included below defines PYTHON_VERSION
+# For PYTHON_VERSION
+include ./files/python-version.mk
+
+# This file provides the necsessary host build variables
+include ./files/python-host.mk
+
+# For PyPackage
 include ./files/python-package.mk
 
 PKG_NAME:=python
@@ -139,18 +145,19 @@ define Build/InstallDev
 	$(INSTALL_DATA) \
 		./files/python-package.mk \
 		./files/python-host.mk \
+		./files/python-version.mk \
 		$(STAGING_DIR)/mk/
 	$(CP) \
 		$(PKG_INSTALL_DIR)/usr/include/python$(PYTHON_VERSION) \
 		$(1)/usr/include/
 	$(CP) \
-		$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/lib/python$(PYTHON_VERSION) \
+		$(HOST_PYTHON_LIB_DIR) \
 		$(PKG_INSTALL_DIR)/usr/lib/libpython$(PYTHON_VERSION).so* \
 		$(1)/usr/lib/
 	$(CP) \
-		$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/lib/pkgconfig/python.pc \
-		$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/lib/pkgconfig/python2.pc \
-		$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/lib/pkgconfig/python-$(PYTHON_VERSION).pc \
+		$(HOST_PYTHON_DIR)/lib/pkgconfig/python.pc \
+		$(HOST_PYTHON_DIR)/lib/pkgconfig/python2.pc \
+		$(HOST_PYTHON_DIR)/lib/pkgconfig/python-$(PYTHON_VERSION).pc \
 		$(1)/usr/lib/pkgconfig
 	$(CP) \
 		$(PKG_INSTALL_DIR)/usr/lib/python$(PYTHON_VERSION)/config \
@@ -213,28 +220,21 @@ define PyPackage/python/filespec
 -|$(PYTHON_PKG_DIR)
 endef
 
-HOST_CFLAGS+= \
-	-I/usr/include/ncursesw \
-	-I/usr/include/ncurses
-
 HOST_CONFIGURE_ARGS+= \
 	--without-cxx-main \
 	--without-pymalloc \
 	--with-threads \
-	--prefix=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX) \
-	--exec-prefix=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX) \
-	--sysconfdir=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/etc \
-	--localstatedir=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/var \
-	--sbindir=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/bin \
-	--with-system-expat=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX) \
-	--with-system-ffi=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX) \
+	--prefix=$(HOST_PYTHON_DIR) \
+	--exec-prefix=$(HOST_PYTHON_DIR) \
+	--with-system-expat=$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG) \
+	--with-system-ffi=$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG) \
 	CONFIG_SITE= \
 	CFLAGS="$(HOST_CFLAGS)"
 
 define Host/Install
 	$(MAKE) -C $(HOST_BUILD_DIR) install
-	$(INSTALL_DIR) $(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/bin/
-	$(INSTALL_BIN) $(HOST_BUILD_DIR)/Parser/pgen $(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/bin/pgen2
+	$(INSTALL_DIR) $(HOST_PYTHON_DIR)/bin/
+	$(INSTALL_BIN) $(HOST_BUILD_DIR)/Parser/pgen $(HOST_PYTHON_DIR)/bin/pgen2
 endef
 
 $(eval $(call HostBuild))
diff --git a/lang/python/files/python-host.mk b/lang/python/files/python-host.mk
index 0a5eb4193..dc0c0c049 100644
--- a/lang/python/files/python-host.mk
+++ b/lang/python/files/python-host.mk
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@
 # See /LICENSE for more information.
 #
 
+ifneq ($(__python_host_mk_inc),1)
+__python_host_mk_inc=1
+
+# For PYTHON_VERSION
+$(call include_mk, python-version.mk)
+
 # Compatibility fallback for older OpenWrt and LEDE versions
 ifeq ($(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG),)
   $(warning STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG is unset - falling back to $$(STAGING_DIR)/host)
@@ -15,11 +21,11 @@ HOST_PYTHON_DIR:=$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG)
 HOST_PYTHON_INC_DIR:=$(HOST_PYTHON_DIR)/include/python$(PYTHON_VERSION)
 HOST_PYTHON_LIB_DIR:=$(HOST_PYTHON_DIR)/lib/python$(PYTHON_VERSION)
 
-HOST_PYTHON_PKG_DIR:=/lib/python$(PYTHON_VERSION)/site-packages
+HOST_PYTHON_PKG_DIR:=$(HOST_PYTHON_DIR)/lib/python$(PYTHON_VERSION)/site-packages
 
 HOST_PYTHON_BIN:=$(HOST_PYTHON_DIR)/bin/python$(PYTHON_VERSION)
 
-HOST_PYTHONPATH:=$(HOST_PYTHON_LIB_DIR):$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG)/$(HOST_PYTHON_PKG_DIR)
+HOST_PYTHONPATH:=$(HOST_PYTHON_LIB_DIR):$(HOST_PYTHON_PKG_DIR)
 
 define HostPython
 	if [ "$(strip $(3))" == "HOST" ]; then \
@@ -71,3 +77,4 @@ define Build/Compile/HostPyMod
 		$(3))
 endef
 
+endif # __python_host_mk_inc
diff --git a/lang/python/files/python-package.mk b/lang/python/files/python-package.mk
index 52b6cf37e..2a2e371c3 100644
--- a/lang/python/files/python-package.mk
+++ b/lang/python/files/python-package.mk
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@
 # See /LICENSE for more information.
 #
 
-PYTHON_VERSION:=2.7
-PYTHON_VERSION_MICRO:=12
+$(call include_mk, python-version.mk)
 
 PYTHON_DIR:=$(STAGING_DIR)/usr
 PYTHON_BIN_DIR:=$(PYTHON_DIR)/bin
diff --git a/lang/python/files/python-version.mk b/lang/python/files/python-version.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6905c3d68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lang/python/files/python-version.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2016 OpenWrt.org
+#
+# This is free software, licensed under the GNU General Public License v2.
+# See /LICENSE for more information.
+#
+
+PYTHON_VERSION:=2.7
+PYTHON_VERSION_MICRO:=12
+
diff --git a/lang/python3/Makefile b/lang/python3/Makefile
index 2463f92a0..2e0f872a0 100644
--- a/lang/python3/Makefile
+++ b/lang/python3/Makefile
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ CONFIGURE_ARGS+= \
 	--with-threads \
 	--with-system-ffi="$(STAGING_DIR)/usr" \
 	--without-pymalloc \
-	--without-ensurepip \
+	--with-ensurepip=no \
 	$(ENABLE_IPV6) \
 	CONFIG_SITE="$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/config.site" \
 	OPT="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)"
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ define Build/InstallDev
 		$(PKG_INSTALL_DIR)/usr/include/python$(PYTHON_VERSION) \
 		$(1)/usr/include/
 	$(CP) \
-		$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/lib/python$(PYTHON_VERSION) \
+		$(HOST_PYTHON3_LIB_DIR) \
 		$(PKG_INSTALL_DIR)/usr/lib/libpython$(PYTHON_VERSION).so* \
 		$(1)/usr/lib/
 	$(CP) \
@@ -208,22 +208,15 @@ define Py3Package/python3/filespec
 -|$(PYTHON3_PKG_DIR)
 endef
 
-HOST_CFLAGS+= \
-	-I/usr/include/ncursesw \
-	-I/usr/include/ncurses
-
 HOST_CONFIGURE_ARGS+= \
 	--without-cxx-main \
 	--without-pymalloc \
 	--with-threads \
-	--prefix=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX) \
-	--exec-prefix=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX) \
-	--sysconfdir=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/etc \
-	--localstatedir=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/var \
-	--sbindir=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/bin \
-	--with-system-expat=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX) \
-	--with-system-ffi=$(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX) \
-	--with-ensurepip=upgrade \
+	--prefix=$(HOST_PYTHON3_DIR) \
+	--exec-prefix=$(HOST_PYTHON3_DIR) \
+	--with-system-expat=$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG) \
+	--with-system-ffi=$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG) \
+	--with-ensurepip=no \
 	CONFIG_SITE= \
 	CFLAGS="$(HOST_CFLAGS)"
 
@@ -235,9 +228,9 @@ endef
 define Host/Install
 	$(MAKE) -C $(HOST_BUILD_DIR) install
 
-	$(INSTALL_DIR) $(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/bin/
-	$(INSTALL_BIN) $(HOST_BUILD_DIR)/Parser/pgen $(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/bin/pgen3
-	$(INSTALL_BIN) $(HOST_BUILD_DIR)/Programs/_freeze_importlib $(HOST_BUILD_PREFIX)/bin/_freeze_importlib
+	$(INSTALL_DIR) $(HOST_PYTHON3_DIR)/bin/
+	$(INSTALL_BIN) $(HOST_BUILD_DIR)/Parser/pgen $(HOST_PYTHON3_DIR)/bin/pgen3
+	$(INSTALL_BIN) $(HOST_BUILD_DIR)/Programs/_freeze_importlib $(HOST_PYTHON3_DIR)/bin/_freeze_importlib
 endef
 
 $(eval $(call HostBuild))
diff --git a/lang/python3/files/python3-package.mk b/lang/python3/files/python3-package.mk
index 1a12d13dd..60feaf195 100644
--- a/lang/python3/files/python3-package.mk
+++ b/lang/python3/files/python3-package.mk
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@ PYTHON3_PKG_DIR:=/usr/lib/python$(PYTHON3_VERSION)/site-packages
 
 PYTHON3:=python$(PYTHON3_VERSION)
 
-HOST_PYTHON3_LIB_DIR:=$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG)/lib/python$(PYTHON3_VERSION)
-HOST_PYTHON3_BIN:=$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG)/bin/python3
+HOST_PYTHON3_DIR:=$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG)
+HOST_PYTHON3_LIB_DIR:=$(HOST_PYTHON3_DIR)/lib/python$(PYTHON3_VERSION)
+HOST_PYTHON3_BIN:=$(HOST_PYTHON3_DIR)/bin/python3
 
 PYTHON3PATH:=$(PYTHON3_LIB_DIR):$(STAGING_DIR)/$(PYTHON3_PKG_DIR):$(PKG_INSTALL_DIR)/$(PYTHON3_PKG_DIR)
 define HostPython3