diff --git a/lang/python/python3/Makefile b/lang/python/python3/Makefile
index 053c003e8..7dba025e0 100644
--- a/lang/python/python3/Makefile
+++ b/lang/python/python3/Makefile
@@ -14,12 +14,14 @@ PYTHON_VERSION:=$(PYTHON3_VERSION)
 PYTHON_VERSION_MICRO:=$(PYTHON3_VERSION_MICRO)
 
 PKG_NAME:=python3
-PKG_RELEASE:=4
+# XXX: reset PKG_RELEASE to 1 only if Python's pip & setuptools versions have also bumped;
+#      otherwise, keep bumping PKG_RELEASE
+PKG_RELEASE:=5
 PKG_VERSION:=$(PYTHON_VERSION).$(PYTHON_VERSION_MICRO)
 
 PKG_SOURCE:=Python-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.xz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=https://www.python.org/ftp/python/$(PKG_VERSION)
-PKG_HASH:=a01810ddfcec216bcdb357a84bfaafdfaa0ca42bbdaa4cb7ff74f5a9961e4041
+PKG_HASH:=9229773be41ed144370f47f0f626a1579931f5a390f1e8e3853174d52edd64a9
 
 PKG_LICENSE:=PSF
 PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=LICENSE Modules/_ctypes/libffi_msvc/LICENSE Modules/_ctypes/darwin/LICENSE Modules/_ctypes/libffi/LICENSE Modules/_ctypes/libffi_osx/LICENSE Tools/pybench/LICENSE
@@ -276,7 +278,6 @@ define Host/Install
 
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) $(HOST_PYTHON3_DIR)/bin/ $(STAGING_DIR)/mk/
 	$(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
 
 	# Install these mk files in the Host/Install phase ;
 	# The Build/InstallDev rule is activated only for target builds.
diff --git a/lang/python/python3/files/python3-version.mk b/lang/python/python3/files/python3-version.mk
index efe953cdc..e1129215b 100644
--- a/lang/python/python3/files/python3-version.mk
+++ b/lang/python/python3/files/python3-version.mk
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 # Note: keep in sync with setuptools & pip
 PYTHON3_VERSION_MAJOR:=3
 PYTHON3_VERSION_MINOR:=6
-PYTHON3_VERSION_MICRO:=1
+PYTHON3_VERSION_MICRO:=2
 
 PYTHON3_VERSION:=$(PYTHON3_VERSION_MAJOR).$(PYTHON3_VERSION_MINOR)
 
diff --git a/lang/python/python3/patches/004-do-not-write-bytes-codes.patch b/lang/python/python3/patches/004-do-not-write-bytes-codes.patch
index 1da7b8be8..8eba5aa6d 100644
--- a/lang/python/python3/patches/004-do-not-write-bytes-codes.patch
+++ b/lang/python/python3/patches/004-do-not-write-bytes-codes.patch
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 diff --git a/Python/pylifecycle.c b/Python/pylifecycle.c
-index a17adf7..415b3f6 100644
+index 640271f..5479e6c 100644
 --- a/Python/pylifecycle.c
 +++ b/Python/pylifecycle.c
-@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ int Py_BytesWarningFlag; /* Warn on str(bytes) and str(buffer) */
+@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ int Py_BytesWarningFlag; /* Warn on str(bytes) and str(buffer) */
  int Py_UseClassExceptionsFlag = 1; /* Needed by bltinmodule.c: deprecated */
  int Py_FrozenFlag; /* Needed by getpath.c */
  int Py_IgnoreEnvironmentFlag; /* e.g. PYTHONPATH, PYTHONHOME */
--int Py_DontWriteBytecodeFlag; /* Suppress writing bytecode files (*.py[co]) */
-+int Py_DontWriteBytecodeFlag = 1; /* Suppress writing bytecode files (*.py[co]) */
+-int Py_DontWriteBytecodeFlag; /* Suppress writing bytecode files (*.pyc) */
++int Py_DontWriteBytecodeFlag = 1; /* Suppress writing bytecode files (*.pyc) */
  int Py_NoUserSiteDirectory = 0; /* for -s and site.py */
  int Py_UnbufferedStdioFlag = 0; /* Unbuffered binary std{in,out,err} */
  int Py_HashRandomizationFlag = 0; /* for -R and PYTHONHASHSEED */
-@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ _Py_InitializeEx_Private(int install_sigs, int install_importlib)
+@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ _Py_InitializeEx_Private(int install_sigs, int install_importlib)
      if ((p = Py_GETENV("PYTHONOPTIMIZE")) && *p != '\0')
          Py_OptimizeFlag = add_flag(Py_OptimizeFlag, p);
      if ((p = Py_GETENV("PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE")) && *p != '\0')