diff --git a/mesonbuild/build.py b/mesonbuild/build.py
index f9e628de6..7b4f3c9ab 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/build.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/build.py
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ known_basic_kwargs = {'install' : True,
 
 known_shlib_kwargs = known_basic_kwargs.copy()
 known_shlib_kwargs.update({'version' : True,
-                           'soversion' : True})
+                           'soversion' : True,
+                           'name_prefix' : True,
+                           })
 
 backslash_explanation = \
 '''Compiler arguments have a backslash "\\" character. This is unfortunately not
@@ -411,6 +413,11 @@ class BuildTarget():
             if not os.path.isfile(trial):
                 raise InvalidArguments('Tried to add non-existing resource %s.' % r)
         self.resources = resources
+        if 'name_prefix' in kwargs:
+            name_prefix = kwargs['name_prefix']
+            if not isinstance(name_prefix, str):
+                raise InvalidArguments('Name prefix must be a string.')
+            self.prefix = name_prefix
 
     def get_subdir(self):
         return self.subdir
@@ -654,7 +661,8 @@ class StaticLibrary(BuildTarget):
         super().__init__(name, subdir, subproject, is_cross, sources, objects, environment, kwargs)
         if len(self.sources) > 0 and self.sources[0].endswith('.cs'):
             raise InvalidArguments('Static libraries not supported for C#.')
-        self.prefix = environment.get_static_lib_prefix()
+        if not hasattr(self, 'prefix'):
+            self.prefix = environment.get_static_lib_prefix()
         self.suffix = environment.get_static_lib_suffix()
         if len(self.sources) > 0 and self.sources[0].endswith('.rs'):
             self.suffix = 'rlib'
@@ -675,11 +683,13 @@ class SharedLibrary(BuildTarget):
         self.soversion = None
         super().__init__(name, subdir, subproject, is_cross, sources, objects, environment, kwargs);
         if len(self.sources) > 0 and self.sources[0].endswith('.cs'):
+            prefix = 'lib'
             self.suffix = 'dll'
-            self.prefix = 'lib'
         else:
-            self.prefix = environment.get_shared_lib_prefix()
+            prefix = environment.get_shared_lib_prefix()
             self.suffix = environment.get_shared_lib_suffix()
+        if not hasattr(self, 'prefix'):
+            self.prefix = prefix
         if len(self.sources) > 0 and self.sources[0].endswith('.rs'):
             self.suffix = 'rlib'
         self.importsuffix = environment.get_import_lib_suffix()
diff --git a/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/blaster.py b/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/blaster.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..7e1eae63a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/blaster.py	
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+import tachyon
+import sys
+
+result = tachyon.phaserize('shoot')
+
+if not isinstance(result, int):
+    print('Returned result not an integer.')
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+if result != 1:
+    print('Returned result {} is not 1.'.format(result))
+    sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/ext/meson.build b/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/ext/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1184835d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/ext/meson.build	
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+pylib = shared_library('tachyon',
+  'tachyon_module.c',
+  dependencies : py3_dep,
+  name_prefix : '')
+
+pypathdir = meson.current_build_dir()
diff --git a/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/ext/tachyon_module.c b/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/ext/tachyon_module.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b2592e482
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/ext/tachyon_module.c	
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+/*
+  Copyright 2016 The Meson development team
+
+  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+  limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+/* A very simple Python extension module. */
+
+#include <Python.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+static PyObject* phaserize(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
+    const char *message;
+    int result;
+
+    if(!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "s", &message))
+        return NULL;
+
+    result = strcmp(message, "shoot") ? 0 : 1;
+    return PyLong_FromLong(result);
+}
+
+static PyMethodDef TachyonMethods[] = {
+    {"phaserize",  phaserize, METH_VARARGS,
+     "Shoot tachyon cannons."},
+    {NULL, NULL, 0, NULL}
+};
+
+static struct PyModuleDef tachyonmodule = {
+   PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
+   "tachyon",
+   NULL,
+   -1,
+   TachyonMethods
+};
+
+PyMODINIT_FUNC PyInit_tachyon(void) {
+    return PyModule_Create(&tachyonmodule);
+}
diff --git a/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/meson.build b/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a86a1222c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/python3/2 extmodule/meson.build	
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+project('Python extension module', 'c')
+
+py3_dep = dependency('python3')
+
+subdir('ext')
+
+test('extmod',
+  find_program('blaster.py'),
+  env : ['PYTHONPATH=' + pypathdir])