--- /usr/portage/eclass/eutils.eclass	2010-06-23 23:35:49.000000000 +0200
+++ eutils.eclass	2010-07-01 07:31:39.000000000 +0200
@@ -1737,6 +1737,9 @@
 	fi
 	[[ -z $1 ]] && die "Usage: preserve_old_lib <library to preserve> [more libraries to preserve]"
 
+	# give the user a way to disable library preservation
+	[[ -n ${EUTILS_NO_PRESERVE_OLD_LIBS} ]] && return 0
+
 	# let portage worry about it
 	has preserve-libs ${FEATURES} && return 0
 
@@ -1760,6 +1763,9 @@
 		die "Invalid preserve_old_lib_notify() usage"
 	fi
 
+	# give the user a way to disable library preservation
+	[[ -n ${EUTILS_NO_PRESERVE_OLD_LIBS} ]] && return 0
+
 	# let portage worry about it
 	has preserve-libs ${FEATURES} && return 0