diff --git a/meta/classes/package.bbclass b/meta/classes/package.bbclass
index 45447e3..0322a05 100644
--- a/meta/classes/package.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/package.bbclass
@@ -1326,8 +1326,8 @@ python package_do_shlibs() {
 
 	needed = {}
 	shlib_provider = {}
-	private_libs = d.getVar('PRIVATE_LIBS', True)
 	for pkg in packages.split():
+		private_libs = d.getVar('PRIVATE_LIBS_' + pkg, True) or d.getVar('PRIVATE_LIBS', True)
 		needs_ldconfig = False
 		bb.debug(2, "calculating shlib provides for %s" % pkg)