diff --git a/package/libs/zlib/Config.in b/package/libs/zlib/Config.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..64b835e77a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package/libs/zlib/Config.in
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+menu "Configuration"
+	depends on PACKAGE_zlib
+
+config ZLIB_OPTIMIZE_SPEED
+	bool "Optimize for speed"
+	help
+		This enables additional optimization and 
+		increases performance considerably at 
+		the expense of binary size.
+
+endmenu
diff --git a/package/libs/zlib/Makefile b/package/libs/zlib/Makefile
index 3602e629cf..2650faa139 100644
--- a/package/libs/zlib/Makefile
+++ b/package/libs/zlib/Makefile
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ PKG_LICENSE:=Zlib
 PKG_LICENSE_FILES:=README
 PKG_CPE_ID:=cpe:/a:gnu:zlib
 
+PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS:= CONFIG_ZLIB_OPTIMIZE_SPEED
+
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/cmake.mk
 
@@ -47,8 +49,16 @@ define Package/zlib-dev/description
  This package includes the development support files.
 endef
 
+define Package/zlib/config
+	source "$(SOURCE)/Config.in"
+endef
+
 TARGET_CFLAGS += $(FPIC)
 
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_ZLIB_OPTIMIZE_SPEED),y)
+	TARGET_CFLAGS := $(filter-out -O%,$(TARGET_CFLAGS)) -O3
+endif
+
 ifneq ($(findstring neon,$(CONFIG_TARGET_OPTIMIZATION)),)
 	CMAKE_OPTIONS += \
 		-DARMv8=ON