diff --git a/django/conf/global_settings.py b/django/conf/global_settings.py
index 92e202edca..048504a5c8 100644
--- a/django/conf/global_settings.py
+++ b/django/conf/global_settings.py
@@ -187,6 +187,10 @@ DATETIME_FORMAT = 'N j, Y, P'
 # http://www.djangoproject.com/documentation/templates/#now
 TIME_FORMAT = 'P'
 
+# Whether to enable Psyco, which optimizes Python code. Requires Psyco.
+# http://psyco.sourceforge.net/
+ENABLE_PSYCO = False
+
 ##############
 # MIDDLEWARE #
 ##############
diff --git a/django/core/handlers/modpython.py b/django/core/handlers/modpython.py
index e52879065f..eec35ff072 100644
--- a/django/core/handlers/modpython.py
+++ b/django/core/handlers/modpython.py
@@ -130,6 +130,10 @@ class ModPythonHandler(BaseHandler):
         from django.conf import settings
         from django.core import db
 
+        if settings.ENABLE_PSYCO:
+            import psyco
+            psyco.profile()
+
         # if we need to set up middleware, now that settings works we can do it now.
         if self._request_middleware is None:
             self.load_middleware()
diff --git a/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py b/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py
index 4d5931e630..23204e63a6 100644
--- a/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py
+++ b/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py
@@ -145,6 +145,10 @@ class WSGIHandler(BaseHandler):
         from django.conf import settings
         from django.core import db
 
+        if settings.ENABLE_PSYCO:
+            import psyco
+            psyco.profile()
+
         # Set up middleware if needed. We couldn't do this earlier, because
         # settings weren't available.
         if self._request_middleware is None:
diff --git a/docs/settings.txt b/docs/settings.txt
index 3689b7f151..3f83ea0e69 100644
--- a/docs/settings.txt
+++ b/docs/settings.txt
@@ -343,6 +343,17 @@ Subject-line prefix for e-mail messages sent with ``django.core.mail.mail_admins
 or ``django.core.mail.mail_managers``. You'll probably want to include the
 trailing space.
 
+ENABLE_PSYCO
+------------
+
+Default: ``False``
+
+**New in Django development version.**
+
+Whether to enable Psyco, which optimizes Python code. Requires Psyco_.
+
+.. _Psyco: http://psyco.sourceforge.net/
+
 IGNORABLE_404_ENDS
 ------------------