diff --git a/Pmodules/libpbuild.bash b/Pmodules/libpbuild.bash
index bf04dc5..da7c040 100644
--- a/Pmodules/libpbuild.bash
+++ b/Pmodules/libpbuild.bash
@@ -1290,7 +1290,9 @@ _build_module() {
 		#
 		# FIXME: Can it happen, that we remove module-/config-files which
 		#        we shouldn't remove?
-		#        For now we exclude removing from the overlay 'base' only.
+		#        For now we exclude removing from the overlay 'base' only
+		#	 This function is only called if the option '--cleanup-modulefiles'
+		#	 was specified.
 		#
 		[[ "${is_subpkg}" == 'yes' ]] && return 0
 		local ol=''
@@ -1612,7 +1614,9 @@ _build_module() {
 		bm::build_sub_packages "${ModuleConfig['sub_packages']}"
 
 	fi
-	bm::cleanup_modulefiles
+	if [[ "${opt_cleanup_modulefiles}" == 'yes' ]]; then
+		bm::cleanup_modulefiles
+	fi
  	std::info \
 		"\n%s\n%s" \
 		"${module_name}/${module_version}: done" \
diff --git a/Pmodules/modbuild.in b/Pmodules/modbuild.in
index a6ca44a..e96a4e4 100644
--- a/Pmodules/modbuild.in
+++ b/Pmodules/modbuild.in
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ BUILD-STEPS OPTIONS:
 --update-modulefiles
 	Only install the modulefile and set the release.
 
+--cleanup-modulefiles
+	Remove modulefiles in other overlays.
+
 MISCELLANEOUS OPTIONS:
 
 -? | -h | --help
@@ -144,6 +147,7 @@ declare         opt_enable_cleanup_src='yes'
 declare         opt_force_rebuild='no'
 declare -i      opt_jobs=0
 declare         opt_update_modulefiles='no'
+declare		opt_cleanup_modulefiles='no'
 declare         opt_system=''
 declare         opt_verbose='no'
 # array collecting all modules specified on the command line via '--with=module'
@@ -266,6 +270,9 @@ parse_args() {
 		--update-modulefiles )
 			opt_update_modulefiles='yes'
 			;;
+		--cleanup-modulefiles )
+			opt_cleanup_modulefiles='yes'
+			;;
 		--config-file | --config-file=* )
 			if [[ $1 == *=* ]]; then
 				opt_config_file=( "${1#--*=}" )