diff --git a/lldb/bindings/python.swig b/lldb/bindings/python.swig
--- a/lldb/bindings/python.swig
+++ b/lldb/bindings/python.swig
@@ -128,8 +128,15 @@
 %include "./python/python-wrapper.swig"
 
 %pythoncode%{
+_initialize = True
+try:
+   import lldbconfig
+   _initialize = lldbconfig.INITIALIZE
+except ImportError:
+   pass
 debugger_unique_id = 0
-SBDebugger.Initialize()
+if _initialize:
+   SBDebugger.Initialize()
 debugger = None
 target = None
 process = None
diff --git a/lldb/packages/Python/lldbconfig/__init__.py b/lldb/packages/Python/lldbconfig/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lldb/packages/Python/lldbconfig/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+INITIALIZE = True
diff --git a/lldb/packages/Python/lldbsuite/test/dotest.py b/lldb/packages/Python/lldbsuite/test/dotest.py
--- a/lldb/packages/Python/lldbsuite/test/dotest.py
+++ b/lldb/packages/Python/lldbsuite/test/dotest.py
@@ -954,7 +954,9 @@
 
     setupSysPath()
 
+    import lldbconfig
     import lldb
+
     # Use host platform by default.
     lldb.selected_platform = lldb.SBPlatform.GetHostPlatform()