Index: configure.in
===================================================================
--- configure.in	(revision 86044)
+++ configure.in	(working copy)
@@ -1956,6 +1956,15 @@
 
 AC_MSG_RESULT($with_system_ffi)
 
+# Check for support for loadable sqlite extensions
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --enable-loadable-sqlite-extensions)
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(loadable-sqlite-extensions,
+              AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-loadable-sqlite-extensions], [support loadable extensions in _sqlite module]),
+              [],
+              [enable_loadable_sqlite_extensions="no"])
+
+AC_MSG_RESULT($enable_loadable_sqlite_extensions)
+
 # Check for --with-dbmliborder
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --with-dbmliborder)
 AC_ARG_WITH(dbmliborder,
Index: setup.py
===================================================================
--- setup.py	(revision 86044)
+++ setup.py	(working copy)
@@ -997,8 +997,10 @@
             else:
                 sqlite_defines.append(('MODULE_NAME', '\\"sqlite3\\"'))
 
-            # Comment this out if you want the sqlite3 module to be able to load extensions.
-            sqlite_defines.append(("SQLITE_OMIT_LOAD_EXTENSION", "1"))
+            # Enable support for loadable extensions in the sqlite3 module
+            # if --enable-loadable-sqlite-extensions configure option is used.
+            if '--enable-loadable-sqlite-extensions' not in sysconfig.get_config_var("CONFIG_ARGS"):
+                sqlite_defines.append(("SQLITE_OMIT_LOAD_EXTENSION", "1"))
 
             if sys.platform == 'darwin':
                 # In every directory on the search path search for a dynamic