diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 8b0ecc8421..a337e832fa 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -967,6 +967,7 @@ Optional Features:
   --disable-compat26      disable wxWidgets 2.6 compatibility
   --disable-rpath         disable use of rpath for uninstalled builds
   --enable-objc_uniquifying enable Objective-C class name uniquifying
+  --enable-abi-incompatible-features Enables features that break ABI compatibility
   --enable-intl           use internationalization system
   --enable-config         use wxConfig (and derived) classes
   --enable-protocols      use wxProtocol and derived classes
@@ -4662,6 +4663,53 @@ echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
           fi
 
 
+if test "x$wxUSE_SHARED" = "xno"; then
+    DEFAULT_wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES=yes
+else
+    DEFAULT_wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES=no
+fi
+
+          enablestring=
+          echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for --${enablestring:-enable}-abi-incompatible-features" >&5
+echo $ECHO_N "checking for --${enablestring:-enable}-abi-incompatible-features... $ECHO_C" >&6
+          no_cache=0
+          # Check whether --enable-abi-incompatible-features or --disable-abi-incompatible-features was given.
+if test "${enable_abi_incompatible_features+set}" = set; then
+  enableval="$enable_abi_incompatible_features"
+
+                          if test "$enableval" = yes; then
+                            wx_cv_use_abi_incompatible_features='wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES=yes'
+                          else
+                            wx_cv_use_abi_incompatible_features='wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES=no'
+                          fi
+
+else
+
+                          LINE=`grep "wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES" ${wx_arg_cache_file}`
+                          if test "x$LINE" != x ; then
+                            eval "DEFAULT_$LINE"
+                          else
+                            no_cache=1
+                          fi
+
+                          wx_cv_use_abi_incompatible_features='wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES='$DEFAULT_wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES
+
+fi;
+
+          eval "$wx_cv_use_abi_incompatible_features"
+          if test "$no_cache" != 1; then
+            echo $wx_cv_use_abi_incompatible_features >> ${wx_arg_cache_file}.tmp
+          fi
+
+          if test "$wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES" = yes; then
+            echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: yes" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}yes" >&6
+          else
+            echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: no" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
+          fi
+
+
 
 
           enablestring=
@@ -42207,6 +42255,13 @@ _ACEOF
 
 fi
 
+if test "$wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES" = "yes"; then
+  cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
+#define wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES 1
+_ACEOF
+
+fi
+
 
 if test "$wxUSE_DATETIME" = "yes"; then
         echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for strptime" >&5
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index bc1c9b4446..b683d9e098 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -947,6 +947,14 @@ WX_ARG_ENABLE(rpath,         [  --disable-rpath         disable use of rpath for
 
 WX_ARG_ENABLE(objc_uniquifying,[  --enable-objc_uniquifying enable Objective-C class name uniquifying], wxUSE_OBJC_UNIQUIFYING)
 
+dnl If user didn't specify --enable/disable-abi-incompatible-features then set it based on wxUSE_SHARED
+if test "x$wxUSE_SHARED" = "xno"; then
+    DEFAULT_wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES=yes
+else
+    DEFAULT_wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES=no
+fi
+WX_ARG_ENABLE(abi-incompatible-features,[  --enable-abi-incompatible-features Enables features that break ABI compatibility], wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES)
+
 dnl ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 dnl (small) optional non GUI classes
 dnl ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -6089,6 +6097,10 @@ if test "$wxUSE_OBJC_UNIQUIFYING" = "yes"; then
   AC_DEFINE(wxUSE_OBJC_UNIQUIFYING)
 fi
 
+if test "$wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES" = "yes"; then
+  AC_DEFINE(wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES)
+fi
+
 dnl ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 dnl time/date functions
 dnl ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/include/wx/chkconf.h b/include/wx/chkconf.h
index fd3d2abf96..22c9155397 100644
--- a/include/wx/chkconf.h
+++ b/include/wx/chkconf.h
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@
 #   define wxUSE_GUI 1
 #endif /* !defined(wxUSE_GUI) */
 
+/* Turn off wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES if not specified. */
+#if !defined(wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES)
+#   define wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES 0
+#endif /* !defined(wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES) */
+
 /*
     If we're compiling without support for threads/exceptions we have to
     disable the corresponding features.
diff --git a/setup.h.in b/setup.h.in
index 6deed3fd67..e7d2c9ff7d 100644
--- a/setup.h.in
+++ b/setup.h.in
@@ -752,6 +752,11 @@
  */
 #define wxUSE_OBJC_UNIQUIFYING 0
 
+/*
+ * ABI incompatible features
+ */
+#define wxUSE_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE_FEATURES 0
+
 /*
  * The const keyword is being introduced more in wxWindows.
  * You can use this setting to maintain backward compatibility.