diff --git a/py/modsys.c b/py/modsys.c
index 56e83029c..35af761a0 100644
--- a/py/modsys.c
+++ b/py/modsys.c
@@ -115,6 +115,12 @@ STATIC const mp_rom_obj_tuple_t mp_sys_implementation_obj = {
 STATIC const MP_DEFINE_STR_OBJ(mp_sys_platform_obj, MICROPY_PY_SYS_PLATFORM);
 #endif
 
+#ifdef MICROPY_PY_SYS_EXECUTABLE
+// executable - the path to the micropython binary
+// This object is non-const and is populated at startup in main()
+MP_DEFINE_STR_OBJ(mp_sys_executable_obj, "");
+#endif
+
 // exit([retval]): raise SystemExit, with optional argument given to the exception
 STATIC mp_obj_t mp_sys_exit(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
     if (n_args == 0) {
@@ -262,6 +268,10 @@ STATIC const mp_rom_map_elem_t mp_module_sys_globals_table[] = {
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_getsizeof), MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_sys_getsizeof_obj) },
     #endif
 
+    #if MICROPY_PY_SYS_EXECUTABLE
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_executable), MP_ROM_PTR(&mp_sys_executable_obj) },
+    #endif
+
     /*
      * Extensions to CPython
      */
diff --git a/py/mpconfig.h b/py/mpconfig.h
index 698d264d2..99fa87e5c 100644
--- a/py/mpconfig.h
+++ b/py/mpconfig.h
@@ -1372,6 +1372,13 @@ typedef double mp_float_t;
 #define MICROPY_PY_SYS_EXC_INFO (0)
 #endif
 
+// Whether to provide "sys.executable", which is the absolute path to the
+// micropython binary
+// Intended for use on the "OS" ports (e.g. Unix)
+#ifndef MICROPY_PY_SYS_EXECUTABLE
+#define MICROPY_PY_SYS_EXECUTABLE (0)
+#endif
+
 // Whether to provide "sys.exit" function
 #ifndef MICROPY_PY_SYS_EXIT
 #define MICROPY_PY_SYS_EXIT (1)