diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f722a5a6..06b92743 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ The **patch** part changes incrementally at each release.
 * elasticsearch: tmpdir configuration compatible with 5.x also
 * elasticsearch: add http.publish_host variable
 * kibana: log messages go to /var/log/kibana/kibana.log
+* mysql: add an option to install the client development  libraries (default: `False`)
 
 ### Changed
 * evolinux-users: add sudo permission for bkctld check
diff --git a/mysql-oracle/defaults/main.yml b/mysql-oracle/defaults/main.yml
index e79fe036..e37f0680 100644
--- a/mysql-oracle/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/mysql-oracle/defaults/main.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ log2mail_alert_email: Null
 general_scripts_dir: "/usr/share/scripts"
 mysql_scripts_dir: Null
 
+mysql_install_libclient: False
+
 mysql_replace_root_with_mysqladmin: True
 
 mysql_custom_datadir: ''
diff --git a/mysql-oracle/tasks/packages.yml b/mysql-oracle/tasks/packages.yml
index 8dd255b1..1d6ebf64 100644
--- a/mysql-oracle/tasks/packages.yml
+++ b/mysql-oracle/tasks/packages.yml
@@ -36,10 +36,21 @@
   with_items:
     - mysql-server
     - mysql-client
+  tags:
+    - mysql
+    - packages
+
+- name: Install MySQL dev packages
+  apt:
+    name: '{{ item }}'
+    update_cache: yes
+    state: present
+  with_items:
     - libmysqlclient20
   tags:
     - mysql
     - packages
+  when: mysql_install_libclient
 
 - include_role:
     name: remount-usr
diff --git a/mysql/README.md b/mysql/README.md
index b1e4bf57..e3226c1c 100644
--- a/mysql/README.md
+++ b/mysql/README.md
@@ -29,5 +29,6 @@ Tasks are extracted in several files, included in `tasks/main.yml` :
 * `general_scripts_dir`: general directory for scripts installation (default: `/usr/local/bin`).
 * `mysql_scripts_dir`: email address to send Log2mail messages to (default: `general_scripts_dir`).
 * `mysql_force_new_nrpe_password` : change the password for NRPE even if it exists already (default: `False`).
+* `mysql_install_libclient`: install mysql client libraries (default: `False`).
 
 NB : changing the _datadir_ location can be done multiple times, as long as it is not restored to the default initial location, (because a symlink is created and can't be switched back, yet).
diff --git a/mysql/defaults/main.yml b/mysql/defaults/main.yml
index ff40c88a..44b43d44 100644
--- a/mysql/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/mysql/defaults/main.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ mysql_scripts_dir: Null
 
 mysql_variant: oracle
 
+mysql_install_libclient: False
+
 mysql_replace_root_with_mysqladmin: True
 
 mysql_custom_datadir: ''
diff --git a/mysql/tasks/packages_jessie.yml b/mysql/tasks/packages_jessie.yml
index 1d376e03..06359e35 100644
--- a/mysql/tasks/packages_jessie.yml
+++ b/mysql/tasks/packages_jessie.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,18 @@
   - mysql
   - packages
 
+- name: Install MySQL dev packages
+  apt:
+    name: '{{ item }}'
+    update_cache: yes
+    state: present
+  with_items:
+  - libmysqlclient-dev
+  tags:
+  - mysql
+  - packages
+  when: mysql_install_libclient
+
 - name: MySQL is started
   service:
     name: mysql
diff --git a/mysql/tasks/packages_stretch.yml b/mysql/tasks/packages_stretch.yml
index d625f691..83256472 100644
--- a/mysql/tasks/packages_stretch.yml
+++ b/mysql/tasks/packages_stretch.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,18 @@
   - mysql
   - packages
 
+- name: Install MySQL dev packages
+  apt:
+    name: '{{ item }}'
+    update_cache: yes
+    state: present
+  with_items:
+  - default-libmysqlclient-dev
+  tags:
+  - mysql
+  - packages
+  when: mysql_install_libclient
+
 - name: MySQL is started
   service:
     name: mysql