diff --git a/config/options b/config/options
index 84c54095dd..8640598dc4 100644
--- a/config/options
+++ b/config/options
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ fi
 # Target system library C (eglibc)
   TARGET_LIBC="eglibc"
 
+# Target iconv implementation (libiconv)
+# leave empty if we are using glibc's gconv
+  ICONV=""
+
 # Library strip
   LIBSTRIP="yes"
 
diff --git a/packages/toolchain/devel/eglibc/build b/packages/toolchain/devel/eglibc/build
index 9575465928..886de5766a 100755
--- a/packages/toolchain/devel/eglibc/build
+++ b/packages/toolchain/devel/eglibc/build
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ cat >option-groups.config <<EOF
   OPTION_EGLIBC_CATGETS = y
 
 # libiconv replacement:
-  OPTION_EGLIBC_CHARSETS = n
+  OPTION_EGLIBC_CHARSETS = y
 
   OPTION_EGLIBC_DB_ALIASES = n
   OPTION_EGLIBC_LOCALES = n
diff --git a/packages/toolchain/devel/eglibc/install b/packages/toolchain/devel/eglibc/install
index 2fac3902b9..72b37d6c2c 100755
--- a/packages/toolchain/devel/eglibc/install
+++ b/packages/toolchain/devel/eglibc/install
@@ -49,11 +49,9 @@ mkdir -p $INSTALL/usr/bin
   cp $PKG_BUILD/objdir-$1/locale/locale $INSTALL/usr/bin
 
 # libiconv replacement:
-#  mkdir -p $INSTALL/usr/lib/gconv
-#    cp $PKG_BUILD/iconvdata/gconv-modules $INSTALL/usr/lib/gconv
-  # didn't yet find a way to separate only needed modules.
-  # the way they are used is described within gconv-modules though
-#    cp $PKG_BUILD/objdir-$1/iconvdata/*.so $INSTALL/usr/lib/gconv
+  mkdir -p $INSTALL/usr/lib/gconv
+    cp $PKG_BUILD/iconvdata/gconv-modules $INSTALL/usr/lib/gconv
+    cp $PKG_BUILD/objdir-$1/iconvdata/*.so $INSTALL/usr/lib/gconv
 
 mkdir -p $INSTALL/etc
   cp $PKG_DIR/config/nsswitch.conf $INSTALL/etc