diff --git a/package/pppd/Config.in b/package/pppd/Config.in
index 8c56421c0d..ee89a577f2 100644
--- a/package/pppd/Config.in
+++ b/package/pppd/Config.in
@@ -23,6 +23,18 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_PPPD_RADIUS
 	help
 	  Install RADIUS support for pppd
 
+config BR2_PACKAGE_PPPD_OVERWRITE_RESOLV_CONF
+	bool "overwrite /etc/resolv.conf"
+	default y
+	help
+	  Overwrite /etc/resolv.conf instead of maintaining the
+	  separate list of nameservers in /etc/ppp/resolv.conf
+
+	  Note that the pppd default of writing to /etc/ppp/resolv.conf
+	  does not work on a read-only rootfs unless you make it
+	  writable in your rootfs customizations (e.g. by linking it to
+	  a file in tmpfs or by mounting a writable filesystem on it).
+
 endif
 
 comment "pppd needs a uClibc or glibc toolchain w/ dynamic library"
diff --git a/package/pppd/pppd.mk b/package/pppd/pppd.mk
index 6139c5b085..6b86a4d3dc 100644
--- a/package/pppd/pppd.mk
+++ b/package/pppd/pppd.mk
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ PPPD_POST_EXTRACT_HOOKS += PPPD_DROP_INTERNAL_IF_PPOL2TP_H
 define PPPD_SET_RESOLV_CONF
 	$(SED) 's,ppp/resolv.conf,resolv.conf,' $(@D)/pppd/pathnames.h
 endef
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PPPD_OVERWRITE_RESOLV_CONF),y)
 PPPD_POST_EXTRACT_HOOKS += PPPD_SET_RESOLV_CONF
+endif
 
 define PPPD_CONFIGURE_CMDS
 	$(SED) 's/FILTER=y/#FILTER=y/' $(PPPD_DIR)/pppd/Makefile.linux