diff --git a/package/network/services/hostapd/Config.in b/package/network/services/hostapd/Config.in
index 9dfa44e3132..2cdd1ed9701 100644
--- a/package/network/services/hostapd/Config.in
+++ b/package/network/services/hostapd/Config.in
@@ -73,3 +73,12 @@ config DRIVER_11AC_SUPPORT
 config DRIVER_11W_SUPPORT
 	bool
 	default n
+
+config WPA_ENABLE_WEP
+	bool "Enable support for unsecure and obsolete WEP"
+	help
+	  Wired equivalent privacy (WEP) is an obsolete cryptographic data
+	  confidentiality algorithm that is not considered secure. It should not be used
+	  for anything anymore. The functionality needed to use WEP is available in the
+	  current hostapd release under this optional build parameter and completely
+	  removed in a future release.
diff --git a/package/network/services/hostapd/Makefile b/package/network/services/hostapd/Makefile
index b4b70a3d6f2..a2c5a34f2f7 100644
--- a/package/network/services/hostapd/Makefile
+++ b/package/network/services/hostapd/Makefile
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS:= \
 	CONFIG_DRIVER_WEXT_SUPPORT \
 	CONFIG_DRIVER_11N_SUPPORT \
 	CONFIG_DRIVER_11AC_SUPPORT \
+	CONFIG_WPA_ENABLE_WEP
 
 EAPOL_TEST_PROVIDERS:=eapol-test eapol-test-openssl eapol-test-wolfssl
 
@@ -445,6 +446,10 @@ ifdef CONFIG_PACKAGE_kmod-cfg80211
   TARGET_LDFLAGS += -lm -lnl-tiny
 endif
 
+ifdef CONFIG_WPA_ENABLE_WEP
+    DRIVER_MAKEOPTS += CONFIG_WEP=y
+endif
+
 define Build/RunMake
 	CFLAGS="$(TARGET_CPPFLAGS) $(TARGET_CFLAGS)" \
 	$(MAKE) $(PKG_JOBS) -C $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/$(1) \