diff --git a/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build b/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
index fef4260a..e22cfc5a 100755
--- a/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
+++ b/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
@@ -1850,6 +1850,11 @@ if [[ "$PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS" == *"--enable-universalsdk"* ]]; then
   package_option python configure --enable-universalsdk=/ --with-universal-archs=intel
 fi
 
+# Compile with `--enable-unicode=ucs4` by default (#257)
+if [[ "$PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS" != *"--enable-unicode="* ]]; then
+  package_option python configure --enable-unicode=ucs4
+fi
+
 # SSL Certificate error with older wget that does not support Server Name Indication (#60)
 if ! command -v curl 1>/dev/null 2>&1 && [[ "$(wget --version 2>/dev/null || true)" = "GNU Wget 1.1"[0-3]* ]]; then
   echo "python-build: wget (< 1.14) doesn't support Server Name Indication. Please install curl (>= 7.18.1) and try again" >&2
diff --git a/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats b/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats
index b8aa3acd..c14ea61a 100644
--- a/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats
+++ b/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ yaml-0.1.6: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT
 make -j 2
 make install
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ make -j 2
 make install
 patch -p0 --force -i $TMP/python-patch.XXX
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ make -j 2
 make install
 patch -p1 --force -i $TMP/python-patch.XXX
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ OUT
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I$brew_libdir/include -I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L$brew_libdir/lib -L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ DEF
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I$readline_libdir/include -I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L$readline_libdir/lib -L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ DEF
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT CPPFLAGS=-I$readline_libdir/include LDFLAGS=-L$readline_libdir/lib --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT CPPFLAGS=-I$readline_libdir/include LDFLAGS=-L$readline_libdir/lib --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ DEF
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ DEF
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 4
 make install
 OUT
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ DEF
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 1
 make install
 OUT
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ DEF
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install DOGE="such wow"
 OUT
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ DEF
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install DOGE="such wow"
 OUT
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ DEF
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 apply -p1 -i /my/patch.diff
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
diff --git a/plugins/python-build/test/compiler.bats b/plugins/python-build/test/compiler.bats
index a8de5a07..ce5841ac 100644
--- a/plugins/python-build/test/compiler.bats
+++ b/plugins/python-build/test/compiler.bats
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ build_package_standard python
 DEF
   assert_success
   assert_output <<OUT
-./configure --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=${TMP}/install/lib
+./configure --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=${TMP}/install/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 CC=clang
 CFLAGS=no
 make -j 2
diff --git a/plugins/python-build/test/pyenv_ext.bats b/plugins/python-build/test/pyenv_ext.bats
index 143dc594..4ccc7705 100644
--- a/plugins/python-build/test/pyenv_ext.bats
+++ b/plugins/python-build/test/pyenv_ext.bats
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ resolve_link() {
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 patch -p0 --force -i $TMP/python-patch.XXX
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ patch: bar
 patch: baz
 patch: foo
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ OUT
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --enable-unicode=ucs4
 make -j 2
 make altinstall
 OUT
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ OUT
   [[ "$(resolve_link "${INSTALL_ROOT}/bin/python-config")" == "python3.4-config" ]]
 }
 
-@test "--enable-framework" {
+@test "enable framework" {
   mkdir -p "${INSTALL_ROOT}/Python.framework/Versions/Current/bin"
   touch "${INSTALL_ROOT}/Python.framework/Versions/Current/bin/python3"
   chmod +x "${INSTALL_ROOT}/Python.framework/Versions/Current/bin/python3"
@@ -241,14 +241,14 @@ verify_python python3.4
 OUT
   assert_success
   assert_output <<EOS
-PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS_ARRAY=(--libdir=${TMP}/install/lib --enable-framework=${TMP}/install)
+PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS_ARRAY=(--libdir=${TMP}/install/lib --enable-framework=${TMP}/install --enable-unicode=ucs4)
 EOS
 
   [ -L "${INSTALL_ROOT}/Python.framework/Versions/Current/bin/python" ]
   [ -L "${INSTALL_ROOT}/Python.framework/Versions/Current/bin/python-config" ]
 }
 
-@test "--enable-universalsdk" {
+@test "enable universalsdk" {
   stub uname '-s : echo Darwin'
 
   PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS="--enable-universalsdk" TMPDIR="$TMP" run_inline_definition <<OUT
@@ -256,10 +256,31 @@ echo "PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS_ARRAY=(\${PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS_ARRAY[@]})"
 OUT
   assert_success
   assert_output <<EOS
-PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS_ARRAY=(--libdir=${TMP}/install/lib --enable-universalsdk=/ --with-universal-archs=intel)
+PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS_ARRAY=(--libdir=${TMP}/install/lib --enable-universalsdk=/ --with-universal-archs=intel --enable-unicode=ucs4)
 EOS
 }
 
+@test "enable custom unicode configuration" {
+  cached_tarball "Python-3.2.1"
+
+  stub brew false
+  stub "$MAKE" \
+    " : echo \"$MAKE \$@\" >> build.log" \
+    " : echo \"$MAKE \$@\" >> build.log && cat build.log >> '$INSTALL_ROOT/build.log'"
+
+  PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS="--enable-unicode=ucs2" TMPDIR="$TMP" install_tmp_fixture definitions/vanilla-python < /dev/null
+  assert_success
+
+  assert_build_log <<OUT
+Python-3.2.1: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.2.1: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --enable-unicode=ucs2 --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
+make -j 2
+make install
+OUT
+
+  unstub make
+}
+
 @test "default MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET" {
   stub uname '-s : echo Darwin'
   stub sw_vers '-productVersion : echo 10.10'