diff --git a/Makefile.pre.in b/Makefile.pre.in
index a9a68e3ef1a..f8d5674075a 100644
--- a/Makefile.pre.in
+++ b/Makefile.pre.in
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ LIBRARY_OBJS=	\
 
 # Default target
 all:		build_all
-build_all:	$(BUILDPYTHON) oldsharedmods sharedmods gdbhooks Modules/_testembed
+build_all:	$(BUILDPYTHON) oldsharedmods sharedmods gdbhooks Modules/_testembed python-config
 
 # Compile a binary with gcc profile guided optimization.
 profile-opt:
@@ -1132,10 +1132,12 @@ $(srcdir)/Lib/$(PLATDIR):
 	fi; \
 	cd $(srcdir)/Lib/$(PLATDIR); $(RUNSHARED) ./regen
 
-python-config: $(srcdir)/Misc/python-config.in
+python-config: $(srcdir)/Misc/python-config.in Misc/python-config.sh
 	# Substitution happens here, as the completely-expanded BINDIR
 	# is not available in configure
-	sed -e "s,@EXENAME@,$(BINDIR)/python$(LDVERSION)$(EXE)," < $(srcdir)/Misc/python-config.in >python-config
+	sed -e "s,@EXENAME@,$(BINDIR)/python$(LDVERSION)$(EXE)," < $(srcdir)/Misc/python-config.in >python-config.py
+	# Replace makefile compat. variable references with shell script compat. ones; $(VAR) -> ${VAR}
+	sed -e 's,\$$(\([A-Za-z0-9_]*\)),\$$\{\1\},g' < Misc/python-config.sh >python-config
 
 # Install the include files
 INCLDIRSTOMAKE=$(INCLUDEDIR) $(CONFINCLUDEDIR) $(INCLUDEPY) $(CONFINCLUDEPY)
@@ -1193,8 +1195,8 @@ libainstall:	all python-config
 	$(INSTALL_DATA) Misc/python.pc $(DESTDIR)$(LIBPC)/python-$(VERSION).pc
 	$(INSTALL_SCRIPT) $(srcdir)/Modules/makesetup $(DESTDIR)$(LIBPL)/makesetup
 	$(INSTALL_SCRIPT) $(srcdir)/install-sh $(DESTDIR)$(LIBPL)/install-sh
+	$(INSTALL_SCRIPT) python-config.py $(DESTDIR)$(LIBPL)/python-config.py
 	$(INSTALL_SCRIPT) python-config $(DESTDIR)$(BINDIR)/python$(LDVERSION)-config
-	rm python-config
 	@if [ -s Modules/python.exp -a \
 		"`echo $(MACHDEP) | sed 's/^\(...\).*/\1/'`" = "aix" ]; then \
 		echo; echo "Installing support files for building shared extension modules on AIX:"; \
@@ -1381,6 +1383,7 @@ clobber: clean profile-removal
 		config.cache config.log pyconfig.h Modules/config.c
 	-rm -rf build platform
 	-rm -rf $(PYTHONFRAMEWORKDIR)
+	-rm -f python-config.py python-config
 
 # Make things extra clean, before making a distribution:
 # remove all generated files, even Makefile[.pre]
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 6527cc56aaf..ff8b5267e15 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -763,6 +763,8 @@ Tests
 Build
 -----
 
+- Issue #16235: Implement python-config as a shell script.
+
 - Issue #16769: Remove outdated Visual Studio projects.
 
 - Issue #17031: Fix running regen in cross builds.
diff --git a/Misc/python-config.sh.in b/Misc/python-config.sh.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6790bf62ff1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/python-config.sh.in
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+exit_with_usage ()
+{
+    echo "Usage: $0 --prefix|--exec-prefix|--includes|--libs|--cflags|--ldflags|--extension-suffix|--help|--abiflags|--configdir"
+    exit $1
+}
+
+if [ "$1" = "" ] ; then
+    exit_with_usage 1
+fi
+
+# Returns the actual prefix where this script was installed to.
+installed_prefix ()
+{
+    RESULT=$(dirname $(cd $(dirname "$1") && pwd -P))
+    if which readlink >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then
+        RESULT=$(readlink -f "$RESULT")
+    fi
+    echo $RESULT
+}
+
+prefix_build="@prefix@"
+prefix_real=$(installed_prefix "$0")
+
+# Use sed to fix paths from their built to locations to their installed to locations.
+prefix=$(echo "$prefix_build" | sed "s#$prefix_build#$prefix_real#")
+exec_prefix_build="@exec_prefix@"
+exec_prefix=$(echo "$exec_prefix_build" | sed "s#$exec_prefix_build#$prefix_real#")
+includedir=$(echo "@includedir@" | sed "s#$prefix_build#$prefix_real#")
+libdir=$(echo "@libdir@" | sed "s#$prefix_build#$prefix_real#")
+CFLAGS=$(echo "@CFLAGS@" | sed "s#$prefix_build#$prefix_real#")
+VERSION="@VERSION@"
+LIBM="@LIBM@"
+LIBC="@LIBC@"
+SYSLIBS="$LIBM $LIBC"
+ABIFLAGS="@ABIFLAGS@"
+LIBS="@LIBS@ $SYSLIBS -lpython${VERSION}${ABIFLAGS}"
+BASECFLAGS="@BASECFLAGS@"
+LDLIBRARY="@LDLIBRARY@"
+LINKFORSHARED="@LINKFORSHARED@"
+OPT="@OPT@"
+PY_ENABLE_SHARED="@PY_ENABLE_SHARED@"
+LDVERSION="@LDVERSION@"
+LIBDEST=${prefix}/lib/python${VERSION}
+LIBPL=$(echo "@LIBPL@" | sed "s#$prefix_build#$prefix_real#")
+SO="@SO@"
+PYTHONFRAMEWORK="@PYTHONFRAMEWORK@"
+INCDIR="-I$includedir/python${VERSION}${ABIFLAGS}"
+PLATINCDIR="-I$includedir/python${VERSION}${ABIFLAGS}"
+
+# Scan for --help or unknown argument.
+for ARG in $*
+do
+    case $ARG in
+        --help)
+            exit_with_usage 0
+        ;;
+        --prefix|--exec-prefix|--includes|--libs|--cflags|--ldflags|--extension-suffix|--abiflags|--configdir)
+        ;;
+        *)
+            exit_with_usage 1
+        ;;
+    esac
+done
+
+for ARG in "$@"
+do
+    case "$ARG" in
+        --prefix)
+            echo "$prefix"
+        ;;
+        --exec-prefix)
+            echo "$exec_prefix"
+        ;;
+        --includes)
+            echo "$INCDIR $PLATINCDIR"
+        ;;
+        --cflags)
+            echo "$INCDIR $PLATINCDIR $BASECFLAGS $CFLAGS $OPT"
+        ;;
+        --libs)
+            echo "$LIBS"
+        ;;
+        --ldflags)
+            LINKFORSHAREDUSED=
+            if [ -z "$PYTHONFRAMEWORK" ] ; then
+                LINKFORSHAREDUSED=$LINKFORSHARED
+            fi
+            LIBPLUSED=
+            if [ "$PY_ENABLE_SHARED" = "0" ] ; then
+                LIBPLUSED="-L$LIBPL"
+            fi
+            echo "$LIBPLUSED -L$libdir $LIBS $LINKFORSHAREDUSED"
+        ;;
+        --extension-suffix)
+            echo "$SO"
+        ;;
+        --abiflags)
+            echo "$ABIFLAGS"
+        ;;
+        --configdir)
+            echo "$LIBPL"
+        ;;
+esac
+done
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 996f3248bc5..035f0ac4f94 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -625,6 +625,8 @@ ac_includes_default="\
 ac_subst_vars='LTLIBOBJS
 SRCDIRS
 THREADHEADERS
+LIBPL
+PY_ENABLE_SHARED
 SOABI
 LIBC
 LIBM
@@ -5573,6 +5575,7 @@ fi
 
 # Other platforms follow
 if test $enable_shared = "yes"; then
+  PY_ENABLE_SHARED=1
 
 $as_echo "#define Py_ENABLE_SHARED 1" >>confdefs.h
 
@@ -5630,6 +5633,7 @@ $as_echo "#define Py_ENABLE_SHARED 1" >>confdefs.h
 
   esac
 else # shared is disabled
+  PY_ENABLE_SHARED=0
   case $ac_sys_system in
     CYGWIN*)
           BLDLIBRARY='$(LIBRARY)'
@@ -13689,6 +13693,10 @@ LDVERSION='$(VERSION)$(ABIFLAGS)'
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $LDVERSION" >&5
 $as_echo "$LDVERSION" >&6; }
 
+
+LIBPL="${prefix}/lib/python${VERSION}/config-${LDVERSION}"
+
+
 # SO is the extension of shared libraries `(including the dot!)
 # -- usually .so, .sl on HP-UX, .dll on Cygwin
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking SO" >&5
@@ -15136,7 +15144,7 @@ $as_echo "#define HAVE_IPA_PURE_CONST_BUG 1" >>confdefs.h
 fi
 
 # generate output files
-ac_config_files="$ac_config_files Makefile.pre Modules/Setup.config Misc/python.pc"
+ac_config_files="$ac_config_files Makefile.pre Modules/Setup.config Misc/python.pc Misc/python-config.sh"
 
 ac_config_files="$ac_config_files Modules/ld_so_aix"
 
@@ -15840,6 +15848,7 @@ do
     "Makefile.pre") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES Makefile.pre" ;;
     "Modules/Setup.config") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES Modules/Setup.config" ;;
     "Misc/python.pc") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES Misc/python.pc" ;;
+    "Misc/python-config.sh") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES Misc/python-config.sh" ;;
     "Modules/ld_so_aix") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES Modules/ld_so_aix" ;;
 
   *) as_fn_error $? "invalid argument: \`$ac_config_target'" "$LINENO" 5;;
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 969b05217f9..1432ada0023 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -917,6 +917,7 @@ fi
 
 # Other platforms follow
 if test $enable_shared = "yes"; then
+  PY_ENABLE_SHARED=1
   AC_DEFINE(Py_ENABLE_SHARED, 1, [Defined if Python is built as a shared library.])
   case $ac_sys_system in
     CYGWIN*)
@@ -972,6 +973,7 @@ if test $enable_shared = "yes"; then
 
   esac
 else # shared is disabled
+  PY_ENABLE_SHARED=0
   case $ac_sys_system in
     CYGWIN*)
           BLDLIBRARY='$(LIBRARY)'
@@ -3929,6 +3931,11 @@ AC_MSG_CHECKING(LDVERSION)
 LDVERSION='$(VERSION)$(ABIFLAGS)'
 AC_MSG_RESULT($LDVERSION)
 
+dnl define LIBPL after ABIFLAGS and LDVERSION is defined.
+AC_SUBST(PY_ENABLE_SHARED)
+LIBPL="${prefix}/lib/python${VERSION}/config-${LDVERSION}"
+AC_SUBST(LIBPL)
+
 # SO is the extension of shared libraries `(including the dot!)
 # -- usually .so, .sl on HP-UX, .dll on Cygwin
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(SO)
@@ -4641,7 +4648,7 @@ if test "$have_gcc_asm_for_x87" = yes; then
 fi
 
 # generate output files
-AC_CONFIG_FILES(Makefile.pre Modules/Setup.config Misc/python.pc)
+AC_CONFIG_FILES(Makefile.pre Modules/Setup.config Misc/python.pc Misc/python-config.sh)
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Modules/ld_so_aix], [chmod +x Modules/ld_so_aix])
 AC_OUTPUT