diff --git a/package/avahi/Config.in b/package/avahi/Config.in
index 5e303d044e..95b01bfe92 100644
--- a/package/avahi/Config.in
+++ b/package/avahi/Config.in
@@ -42,6 +42,13 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_AVAHI_LIBDNSSD_COMPATIBILITY
 	  Enable the libdns_sd (Bonjour) compatibility library support
 	  for legacy applications.
 
+config BR2_PACKAGE_AVAHI_DEFAULT_SERVICES
+	bool "install default service definitions"
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_AVAHI_DAEMON
+	help
+	  Install the SSH/SFTP service definitions included with the
+	  Avahi daemon by default.
+
 endif
 
 comment "avahi needs a toolchain w/ threads"
diff --git a/package/avahi/avahi.mk b/package/avahi/avahi.mk
index 9de6ebc4d2..13e2106014 100644
--- a/package/avahi/avahi.mk
+++ b/package/avahi/avahi.mk
@@ -193,4 +193,13 @@ endef
 AVAHI_POST_INSTALL_STAGING_HOOKS += AVAHI_STAGING_INSTALL_LIBDNSSD_LINK
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_AVAHI_DEFAULT_SERVICES),)
+define AVAHI_REMOVE_DEFAULT_SERVICES
+	$(foreach service,ssh sftp-ssh, \
+		$(RM) -f $(TARGET_DIR)/etc/avahi/services/$(service).service
+	)
+endef
+AVAHI_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_HOOKS += AVAHI_REMOVE_DEFAULT_SERVICES
+endif
+
 $(eval $(autotools-package))