diff --git a/Doc/Manual/Python.html b/Doc/Manual/Python.html
index 937672c2a..5237dfe68 100644
--- a/Doc/Manual/Python.html
+++ b/Doc/Manual/Python.html
@@ -957,6 +957,7 @@ swig -python -help
 <tr><td>-doxygen        </td><td>Convert C++ doxygen comments to pydoc comments in proxy classes</td></tr>
 <tr><td>-extranative    </td><td>Return extra native wrappers for C++ std containers wherever possible</td></tr>
 <tr><td>-fastproxy      </td><td>Use fast proxy mechanism for member methods</td></tr>
+<tr><td>-flatstaticmethod </td><td>Generate Foo_bar for static method Foo::bar</td></tr>
 <tr><td>-globals &lt;name&gt; </td><td>Set &lt;name&gt; used to access C global variable (default: 'cvar')</td></tr>
 <tr><td>-interface &lt;mod&gt;</td><td>Set low-level C/C++ module name to &lt;mod&gt; (default: module name prefixed by '_')</td></tr>
 <tr><td>-keyword        </td><td>Use keyword arguments</td></tr>
@@ -1616,16 +1617,15 @@ In Python, the static member can be accessed in three different ways:
 
 <div class="targetlang">
 <pre>
-&gt;&gt;&gt; example.Spam_foo()    # Spam::foo()
 &gt;&gt;&gt; s = example.Spam()
 &gt;&gt;&gt; s.foo()               # Spam::foo() via an instance
-&gt;&gt;&gt; example.Spam.foo()    # Spam::foo() using Python-2.2 and later
+&gt;&gt;&gt; example.Spam.foo()    # Spam::foo() using class method
+&gt;&gt;&gt; example.Spam_foo()    # Spam::foo() "flattened" name
 </pre>
 </div>
 
 <p>
-The first two methods of access are supported in all versions of Python.  The
-last technique is only available in Python-2.2 and later versions.
+The last technique is only available when using the <tt>-flatstaticmethod</tt> option.
 </p>
 
 <p>
diff --git a/Examples/test-suite/python/Makefile.in b/Examples/test-suite/python/Makefile.in
index cc6adeb69..c232829f3 100644
--- a/Examples/test-suite/python/Makefile.in
+++ b/Examples/test-suite/python/Makefile.in
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ LIBS         = -L.
 VALGRIND_OPT += --suppressions=pythonswig.supp
 
 # Custom tests - tests with additional commandline options
-#python_flatstaticmethod.cpptest: SWIGOPT += -flatstaticmethod
+python_flatstaticmethod.cpptest: SWIGOPT += -flatstaticmethod
 
 # Rules for the different types of tests
 %.cpptest:
diff --git a/Source/Modules/python.cxx b/Source/Modules/python.cxx
index 69c13db48..bf2ad79c9 100644
--- a/Source/Modules/python.cxx
+++ b/Source/Modules/python.cxx
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ static int castmode = 0;
 static int extranative = 0;
 static int nortti = 0;
 static int relativeimport = 0;
+static int flat_static_method = 0;
 
 /* flags for the make_autodoc function */
 namespace {
@@ -118,6 +119,7 @@ Python Options (available with -python)\n\
      -doxygen        - Convert C++ doxygen comments to pydoc comments in proxy classes\n\
      -extranative    - Return extra native wrappers for C++ std containers wherever possible\n\
      -fastproxy      - Use fast proxy mechanism for member methods\n\
+     -flatstaticmethod         - Generate Foo_bar for static method Foo::bar\n\
      -globals <name> - Set <name> used to access C global variable (default: 'cvar')\n\
      -interface <mod>- Set low-level C/C++ module name to <mod> (default: module name prefixed by '_')\n\
      -keyword        - Use keyword arguments\n";
@@ -373,6 +375,9 @@ public:
 	} else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-extranative") == 0) {
 	  extranative = 1;
 	  Swig_mark_arg(i);
+	} else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-flatstaticmethod") == 0) {
+	  flat_static_method = 1;
+	  Swig_mark_arg(i);
 	} else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-noh") == 0) {
 	  no_header_file = 1;
 	  Swig_mark_arg(i);
@@ -2636,11 +2641,11 @@ public:
     Printv(f->code, "}\n", NIL);
     Wrapper_print(f, f_wrappers);
     Node *p = Getattr(n, "sym:previousSibling");
-    if (!builtin_self)
+    if (!builtin_self && (flat_static_method || !in_class || !builtin))
       add_method(symname, wname, 0, p);
 
     /* Create a shadow for this function (if enabled and not in a member function) */
-    if (!builtin && (shadow) && (!(shadow & PYSHADOW_MEMBER))) {
+    if (!builtin && (shadow) && (!(shadow & PYSHADOW_MEMBER)) && (flat_static_method || !in_class)) {
       emitFunctionShadowHelper(n, in_class ? f_shadow_stubs : f_shadow, symname, 0);
     }
     DelWrapper(f);
@@ -3309,11 +3314,11 @@ public:
 
     /* Now register the function with the interpreter.   */
     if (!Getattr(n, "sym:overloaded")) {
-      if (!builtin_self)
+      if (!builtin_self && (flat_static_method || !in_class || !builtin))
 	add_method(iname, wname, allow_kwargs, n, funpack, num_required, num_arguments);
 
       /* Create a shadow for this function (if enabled and not in a member function) */
-      if (!builtin && (shadow) && (!(shadow & PYSHADOW_MEMBER))) {
+      if (!builtin && (shadow) && (!(shadow & PYSHADOW_MEMBER)) && (flat_static_method || !in_class)) {
 	emitFunctionShadowHelper(n, in_class ? f_shadow_stubs : f_shadow, iname, allow_kwargs);
       }
     } else {