diff --git a/package/libevent/libevent.mk b/package/libevent/libevent.mk
index c63dbdb44..f71bf9a11 100644
--- a/package/libevent/libevent.mk
+++ b/package/libevent/libevent.mk
@@ -13,3 +13,11 @@ LIBEVENT_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 LIBEVENT_INSTALL_TARGET = YES
 
 $(eval $(call AUTOTARGETS,package,libevent))
+
+ifneq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON),y)
+# libevent installs a python script to target - get rid of it if
+# we don't have python support enabled
+$(LIBEVENT_HOOK_POST_INSTALL):
+	rm $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/bin/event_rpcgen.py
+	touch $@
+endif