diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
index 052b1b6f89..6de609c9d6 100644
--- a/INSTALL
+++ b/INSTALL
@@ -197,6 +197,17 @@ if 'CFLAGS' is specified it must enable optimization.  For example:
      libnss_nisplus are not built at all.  Use this option to enable
      libnsl with all depending NSS modules and header files.
 
+'--disable-crypt'
+     Do not install the password-hashing library 'libcrypt' or the
+     header file 'crypt.h'.  'unistd.h' will still declare the function
+     'crypt', as required by POSIX. Using this option does not change
+     the set of programs that may need to be linked with '-lcrypt'; it
+     only means that the GNU C Library will not provide that library.
+
+     This option is for hackers and distributions experimenting with
+     independently-maintained implementations of libcrypt.  It may
+     become the default in a future release.
+
 '--disable-experimental-malloc'
      By default, a per-thread cache is enabled in 'malloc'.  While this
      cache can be disabled on a per-application basis using tunables
diff --git a/Makeconfig b/Makeconfig
index 1afe86475c..608ffe648c 100644
--- a/Makeconfig
+++ b/Makeconfig
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ link-libc-printers-tests = $(link-libc-rpath) \
 			   $(link-libc-tests-after-rpath-link)
 
 # This is how to find at build-time things that will be installed there.
-rpath-dirs = math elf dlfcn nss nis rt resolv crypt mathvec support
+rpath-dirs = math elf dlfcn nss nis rt resolv mathvec support
 rpath-link = \
 $(common-objdir):$(subst $(empty) ,:,$(patsubst ../$(subdir),.,$(rpath-dirs:%=$(common-objpfx)%)))
 else  # build-static
@@ -1205,9 +1205,14 @@ all-subdirs = csu assert ctype locale intl catgets math setjmp signal	    \
 	      stdlib stdio-common libio malloc string wcsmbs time dirent    \
 	      grp pwd posix io termios resource misc socket sysvipc gmon    \
 	      gnulib iconv iconvdata wctype manual shadow gshadow po argp   \
-	      crypt localedata timezone rt conform debug mathvec support    \
+	      localedata timezone rt conform debug mathvec support	    \
 	      dlfcn elf
 
+ifeq ($(build-crypt),yes)
+all-subdirs += crypt
+rpath-dirs += crypt
+endif
+
 ifndef avoid-generated
 # sysd-sorted itself will contain rules making the sysd-sorted target
 # depend on Depend files.  But if you just added a Depend file to an
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 2fe2da8b59..cfc58f71bb 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -71,6 +71,18 @@ Deprecated and removed features, and other changes affecting compatibility:
   encrypt and setkey are not thread-safe.  Software that still uses these
   functions should switch to a modern cryptography library, such as GnuTLS.
 
+* We have tentative plans to deprecate glibc's implementation of the
+  password-hashing functions 'crypt' and 'crypt_r'.  We will continue
+  to declare crypt in <unistd.h>, as required by POSIX, and programs
+  that use crypt or crypt_r should not need to change at all.  However,
+  the header file <crypt.h> and library libcrypt.{a,so} will come from
+  a separate development project that will, we hope, keep up better with
+  new password-hashing algorithms.
+
+  In this release, if the configure option --disable-crypt is used,
+  glibc will not install <crypt.h> or libcrypt.  The plan is to make
+  this the default behavior in a future release.
+
 Changes to build and runtime requirements:
 
   [Add changes to build and runtime requirements here]
diff --git a/config.make.in b/config.make.in
index 9e5e24b2c6..d9891b2cd8 100644
--- a/config.make.in
+++ b/config.make.in
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ cross-compiling = @cross_compiling@
 force-install = @force_install@
 link-obsolete-rpc = @link_obsolete_rpc@
 build-obsolete-nsl = @build_obsolete_nsl@
+build-crypt = @build_crypt@
 build-nscd = @build_nscd@
 use-nscd = @use_nscd@
 build-hardcoded-path-in-tests= @hardcoded_path_in_tests@
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 7a8bd3f817..7317c1aee4 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -676,6 +676,7 @@ build_obsolete_nsl
 link_obsolete_rpc
 libc_cv_static_nss_crypt
 libc_cv_nss_crypt
+build_crypt
 experimental_malloc
 enable_werror
 all_warnings
@@ -779,6 +780,7 @@ enable_all_warnings
 enable_werror
 enable_multi_arch
 enable_experimental_malloc
+enable_crypt
 enable_nss_crypt
 enable_obsolete_rpc
 enable_obsolete_nsl
@@ -1448,6 +1450,8 @@ Optional Features:
                           architectures
   --disable-experimental-malloc
                           disable experimental malloc features
+  --disable-crypt         do not build nor install the password hashing
+                          library, libcrypt
   --enable-nss-crypt      enable libcrypt to use nss
   --enable-obsolete-rpc   build and install the obsolete RPC code for
                           link-time usage
@@ -3505,6 +3509,15 @@ fi
 
 
 
+# Check whether --enable-crypt was given.
+if test "${enable_crypt+set}" = set; then :
+  enableval=$enable_crypt; build_crypt=$enableval
+else
+  build_crypt=yes
+fi
+
+
+
 # Check whether --enable-nss-crypt was given.
 if test "${enable_nss_crypt+set}" = set; then :
   enableval=$enable_nss_crypt; nss_crypt=$enableval
@@ -3512,6 +3525,11 @@ else
   nss_crypt=no
 fi
 
+if test x$build_libcrypt = xno && test x$nss_crypt = xyes; then
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: --enable-nss-crypt has no effect when libcrypt is disabled" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: --enable-nss-crypt has no effect when libcrypt is disabled" >&2;}
+  nss_crypt=no
+fi
 if test x$nss_crypt = xyes; then
   nss_includes=-I$(nss-config --includedir 2>/dev/null)
   if test $? -ne 0; then
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ca1282a6b3..05e03f2f72 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -302,11 +302,22 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([experimental-malloc],
 	      [experimental_malloc=yes])
 AC_SUBST(experimental_malloc)
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([crypt],
+              AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-crypt],
+                             [do not build nor install the password hashing library, libcrypt]),
+              [build_crypt=$enableval],
+              [build_crypt=yes])
+AC_SUBST(build_crypt)
+
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([nss-crypt],
 	      AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-nss-crypt],
 			     [enable libcrypt to use nss]),
 	      [nss_crypt=$enableval],
 	      [nss_crypt=no])
+if test x$build_libcrypt = xno && test x$nss_crypt = xyes; then
+  AC_MSG_WARN([--enable-nss-crypt has no effect when libcrypt is disabled])
+  nss_crypt=no
+fi
 if test x$nss_crypt = xyes; then
   nss_includes=-I$(nss-config --includedir 2>/dev/null)
   if test $? -ne 0; then
diff --git a/conform/Makefile b/conform/Makefile
index 864fdeca21..74fbda0786 100644
--- a/conform/Makefile
+++ b/conform/Makefile
@@ -193,13 +193,11 @@ linknamespace-libs-thr = $(linknamespace-libs-isoc) \
 			 $(common-objpfx)rt/librt.a $(static-thread-library)
 linknamespace-libs-posix = $(linknamespace-libs-thr) \
 			   $(common-objpfx)dlfcn/libdl.a
-linknamespace-libs-xsi = $(linknamespace-libs-posix) \
-			 $(common-objpfx)crypt/libcrypt.a
+linknamespace-libs-xsi = $(linknamespace-libs-posix)
 linknamespace-libs-ISO = $(linknamespace-libs-isoc)
 linknamespace-libs-ISO99 = $(linknamespace-libs-isoc)
 linknamespace-libs-ISO11 = $(linknamespace-libs-isoc)
-linknamespace-libs-XPG4 = $(linknamespace-libs-isoc) \
-			  $(common-objpfx)crypt/libcrypt.a
+linknamespace-libs-XPG4 = $(linknamespace-libs-isoc)
 linknamespace-libs-XPG42 = $(linknamespace-libs-XPG4)
 linknamespace-libs-POSIX = $(linknamespace-libs-thr)
 linknamespace-libs-UNIX98 = $(linknamespace-libs-xsi)
@@ -209,6 +207,11 @@ linknamespace-libs-XOPEN2K8 = $(linknamespace-libs-xsi)
 linknamespace-libs = $(foreach std,$(conformtest-standards),\
 				   $(linknamespace-libs-$(std)))
 
+ifeq ($(build-crypt),yes)
+linknamespace-libs-xsi += $(common-objpfx)crypt/libcrypt.a
+linknamespace-libs-XPG4 += $(common-objpfx)crypt/libcrypt.a
+endif
+
 $(linknamespace-symlist-stdlibs-tests): $(objpfx)symlist-stdlibs-%: \
 					$(linknamespace-libs)
 	LC_ALL=C $(READELF) -W -s $(linknamespace-libs-$*) > $@; \
diff --git a/crypt/Makefile b/crypt/Makefile
index e122bcebf0..1e2f21bf52 100644
--- a/crypt/Makefile
+++ b/crypt/Makefile
@@ -35,10 +35,6 @@ tests := cert md5c-test sha256c-test sha512c-test badsalttest
 # cert.c tests the deprecated setkey/encrypt interface
 CFLAGS-cert.c = -Wno-deprecated-declarations
 
-ifeq ($(crypt-in-libc),yes)
-routines += $(libcrypt-routines)
-endif
-
 ifeq ($(nss-crypt),yes)
 nss-cpp-flags := -DUSE_NSS \
   -I$(shell nss-config --includedir) -I$(shell nspr-config --includedir)
diff --git a/crypt/crypt.h b/crypt/crypt.h
index 22cf13ff89..4f928901f3 100644
--- a/crypt/crypt.h
+++ b/crypt/crypt.h
@@ -28,7 +28,10 @@
 
 __BEGIN_DECLS
 
-/* Encrypt at most 8 characters from KEY using salt to perturb DES.  */
+/* Hash a password, KEY, for storage in /etc/shadow.  SALT selects the
+   hashing algorithm to be used, and ensures that no two users' passwords
+   are hashed to the same string.  The return value points to static
+   storage which will be overwritten by the next call to crypt.  */
 extern char *crypt (const char *__key, const char *__salt)
      __THROW __nonnull ((1, 2));
 
diff --git a/elf/Makefile b/elf/Makefile
index e658928305..ef9155dbd7 100644
--- a/elf/Makefile
+++ b/elf/Makefile
@@ -385,14 +385,21 @@ $(objpfx)tst-_dl_addr_inside_object: $(objpfx)dl-addr-obj.os
 CFLAGS-tst-_dl_addr_inside_object.c += $(PIE-ccflag)
 endif
 
-# By default tst-linkall-static should try to use crypt routines to test
-# static libcrypt use.
+# We can only test static libcrypt use if libcrypt has been built,
+# and either NSS crypto is not in use, or static NSS libraries are
+# available.
+ifeq ($(build-crypt),no)
+CFLAGS-tst-linkall-static.c += -DUSE_CRYPT=0
+else
+ifeq ($(nss-crypt),no)
+CFLAGS-tst-linkall-static.c += -DUSE_CRYPT=1
+else
+ifeq ($(static-nss-crypt),no)
+CFLAGS-tst-linkall-static.c += -DUSE_CRYPT=0
+else
 CFLAGS-tst-linkall-static.c += -DUSE_CRYPT=1
-# However, if we are using NSS crypto and we don't have a static
-# library, then we exclude the use of crypt functions in the test.
-# We similarly exclude libcrypt.a from the static link (see below).
-ifeq (yesno,$(nss-crypt)$(static-nss-crypt))
-CFLAGS-tst-linkall-static.c += -UUSE_CRYPT -DUSE_CRYPT=0
+endif
+endif
 endif
 
 include ../Rules
@@ -1113,7 +1120,6 @@ localplt-built-dso := $(addprefix $(common-objpfx),\
 				  rt/librt.so \
 				  dlfcn/libdl.so \
 				  resolv/libresolv.so \
-				  crypt/libcrypt.so \
 		       )
 ifeq ($(build-mathvec),yes)
 localplt-built-dso += $(addprefix $(common-objpfx), mathvec/libmvec.so)
@@ -1121,6 +1127,9 @@ endif
 ifeq ($(have-thread-library),yes)
 localplt-built-dso += $(filter-out %_nonshared.a, $(shared-thread-library))
 endif
+ifeq ($(build-crypt),yes)
+localplt-built-dso += $(addprefix $(common-objpfx), crypt/libcrypt.so)
+endif
 
 vpath localplt.data $(+sysdep_dirs)
 
@@ -1395,6 +1404,7 @@ $(objpfx)tst-linkall-static: \
   $(common-objpfx)resolv/libanl.a \
   $(static-thread-library)
 
+ifeq ($(build-crypt),yes)
 # If we are using NSS crypto and we have the ability to link statically
 # then we include libcrypt.a, otherwise we leave out libcrypt.a and
 # link as much as we can into the tst-linkall-static test.  This assumes
@@ -1410,6 +1420,7 @@ ifeq (no,$(nss-crypt))
 $(objpfx)tst-linkall-static: \
   $(common-objpfx)crypt/libcrypt.a
 endif
+endif
 
 # The application depends on the DSO, and the DSO loads the plugin.
 # The plugin also depends on the DSO. This creates the circular
diff --git a/elf/tst-linkall-static.c b/elf/tst-linkall-static.c
index e8df38f74e..d0f2592e67 100644
--- a/elf/tst-linkall-static.c
+++ b/elf/tst-linkall-static.c
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@
 
 #include <math.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
-#include <crypt.h>
+#if USE_CRYPT
+# include <crypt.h>
+#endif
 #include <resolv.h>
 #include <dlfcn.h>
 #include <utmp.h>
diff --git a/manual/install.texi b/manual/install.texi
index 4bbbfcffa5..ce2d049f1a 100644
--- a/manual/install.texi
+++ b/manual/install.texi
@@ -230,6 +230,18 @@ libnss_nisplus are not built at all.
 Use this option to enable libnsl with all depending NSS modules and
 header files.
 
+@item --disable-crypt
+Do not install the password-hashing library @file{libcrypt} or the
+header file @file{crypt.h}.  @file{unistd.h} will still declare the
+function @code{crypt}, as required by POSIX.  Using this option does
+not change the set of programs that may need to be linked with
+@option{-lcrypt}; it only means that @theglibc{} will not provide that
+library.
+
+This option is for hackers and distributions experimenting with
+independently-maintained implementations of libcrypt.  It may become
+the default in a future release.
+
 @item --disable-experimental-malloc
 By default, a per-thread cache is enabled in @code{malloc}.  While
 this cache can be disabled on a per-application basis using tunables
diff --git a/posix/unistd.h b/posix/unistd.h
index 5d4e07f6c8..fdf2d4b208 100644
--- a/posix/unistd.h
+++ b/posix/unistd.h
@@ -1119,10 +1119,11 @@ extern int fdatasync (int __fildes);
 #endif /* Use POSIX199309 */
 
 
-/* XPG4.2 specifies that prototypes for the encryption functions must
-   be defined here.  */
 #ifdef	__USE_XOPEN
-/* Encrypt at most 8 characters from KEY using salt to perturb DES.  */
+/* Hash a password, KEY, for storage in /etc/shadow.  SALT selects the
+   hashing algorithm to be used, and ensures that no two users' passwords
+   are hashed to the same string.  The return value points to static
+   storage which will be overwritten by the next call to crypt.  */
 extern char *crypt (const char *__key, const char *__salt)
      __THROW __nonnull ((1, 2));
 
