diff --git a/package/bash/bash.mk b/package/bash/bash.mk
index 6510af5e9..34a3a7395 100644
--- a/package/bash/bash.mk
+++ b/package/bash/bash.mk
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ define BASH_INSTALL_TARGET_CMDS
 	$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) $(MAKE) -C $(@D) \
 		DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR) exec_prefix=/ install
 	rm -f $(TARGET_DIR)/bin/bashbug
-	ln -sf bash $(TARGET_DIR)/bin/sh
 endef
 
 $(eval $(autotools-package))
diff --git a/system/Config.in b/system/Config.in
index e7e146a30..2465f798e 100644
--- a/system/Config.in
+++ b/system/Config.in
@@ -211,6 +211,50 @@ config BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_ROOT_PASSWD
 	  in the build log! Avoid using a valuable password if either the
 	  .config file or the build log may be distributed!
 
+choice
+	bool "/bin/sh"
+	default BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_DASH if !BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX
+	help
+	  Select which shell will provide /bin/sh.
+
+# busybox has shells that work on noMMU
+config BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_BUSYBOX
+	bool "busybox' default shell"
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX
+
+config BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_BASH
+	bool "bash"
+	depends on BR2_USE_MMU # bash
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX_SHOW_OTHERS
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_BASH
+
+config BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_DASH
+	bool "dash"
+	depends on BR2_USE_MMU # dash
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX_SHOW_OTHERS
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_DASH
+
+config BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_ZSH
+	bool "zsh"
+	depends on BR2_USE_MMU # zsh
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX_SHOW_OTHERS
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_ZSH
+
+comment "bash, dash, zsh need BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX_SHOW_OTHERS"
+	depends on !BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX_SHOW_OTHERS && BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX
+
+config BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_NONE
+	bool "none"
+
+endchoice # /bin/sh
+
+config BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH
+	string
+	default "/bin/busybox" if BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_BUSYBOX
+	default "/bin/bash"    if BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_BASH
+	default "/bin/dash"    if BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_DASH
+	default "/bin/zsh"     if BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_ZSH
+
 config BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY
 	bool "Run a getty (login prompt) after boot"
 	default y
diff --git a/system/system.mk b/system/system.mk
index b6146158d..5802e2d8f 100644
--- a/system/system.mk
+++ b/system/system.mk
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ TARGET_GENERIC_HOSTNAME = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_HOSTNAME))
 TARGET_GENERIC_ISSUE = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_ISSUE))
 TARGET_GENERIC_ROOT_PASSWD = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_ROOT_PASSWD))
 TARGET_GENERIC_PASSWD_METHOD = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_PASSWD_METHOD))
+TARGET_GENERIC_BIN_SH = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH))
 TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY_PORT = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY_PORT))
 TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY_BAUDRATE = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY_BAUDRATE))
 TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY_TERM = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY_TERM))
@@ -46,6 +47,17 @@ define SYSTEM_ROOT_PASSWD
 endef
 TARGET_FINALIZE_HOOKS += SYSTEM_ROOT_PASSWD
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_SYSTEM_BIN_SH_NONE),y)
+define SYSTEM_BIN_SH
+	rm -f $(TARGET_DIR)/bin/sh
+endef
+else
+define SYSTEM_BIN_SH
+	ln -sf $(TARGET_GENERIC_BIN_SH) $(TARGET_DIR)/bin/sh
+endef
+endif
+TARGET_FINALIZE_HOOKS += SYSTEM_BIN_SH
+
 ifeq ($(BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY),y)
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_SYSVINIT),y)
 # In sysvinit inittab, the "id" must not be longer than 4 bytes, so we