diff --git a/Include/cpython/initconfig.h b/Include/cpython/initconfig.h
index 00831e0f84c955..3a9b189584857b 100644
--- a/Include/cpython/initconfig.h
+++ b/Include/cpython/initconfig.h
@@ -253,9 +253,10 @@ typedef struct {
     int allow_daemon_threads;
     int check_multi_interp_extensions;
     int own_gil;
+    int site_import;
 } _PyInterpreterConfig;
 
-#define _PyInterpreterConfig_INIT \
+#define _PyInterpreterConfig_INIT(site) \
     { \
         .use_main_obmalloc = 0, \
         .allow_fork = 0, \
@@ -264,6 +265,7 @@ typedef struct {
         .allow_daemon_threads = 0, \
         .check_multi_interp_extensions = 1, \
         .own_gil = 1, \
+        .site_import = site, \
     }
 
 #define _PyInterpreterConfig_LEGACY_INIT \
@@ -275,6 +277,7 @@ typedef struct {
         .allow_daemon_threads = 1, \
         .check_multi_interp_extensions = 0, \
         .own_gil = 0, \
+        .site_import = 1, \
     }
 
 /* --- Helper functions --------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/Modules/_xxsubinterpretersmodule.c b/Modules/_xxsubinterpretersmodule.c
index 0e45f0a37c44c5..0039a4ae9f735b 100644
--- a/Modules/_xxsubinterpretersmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_xxsubinterpretersmodule.c
@@ -503,19 +503,22 @@ _run_script_in_interpreter(PyObject *mod, PyInterpreterState *interp,
 static PyObject *
 interp_create(PyObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 {
-
-    static char *kwlist[] = {"isolated", NULL};
-    int isolated = 1;
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwds, "|$i:create", kwlist,
-                                     &isolated)) {
+    static char *kwlist[] = {"isolated", "site", NULL};
+    int isolated = 1, site=1;
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwds, "|$ii:create", kwlist,
+                                     &isolated, &site)) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    if (!isolated && !site){
+        // no site requires isolated
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "isolated must be True when combined with site=False");
         return NULL;
     }
-
     // Create and initialize the new interpreter.
     PyThreadState *save_tstate = _PyThreadState_GET();
     assert(save_tstate != NULL);
     const _PyInterpreterConfig config = isolated
-        ? (_PyInterpreterConfig)_PyInterpreterConfig_INIT
+        ? (_PyInterpreterConfig)_PyInterpreterConfig_INIT(site)
         : (_PyInterpreterConfig)_PyInterpreterConfig_LEGACY_INIT;
     // XXX Possible GILState issues?
     PyThreadState *tstate = NULL;
diff --git a/Python/pylifecycle.c b/Python/pylifecycle.c
index 8ae90559a35cac..aa93f065996a97 100644
--- a/Python/pylifecycle.c
+++ b/Python/pylifecycle.c
@@ -581,6 +581,10 @@ init_interp_settings(PyInterpreterState *interp, const _PyInterpreterConfig *con
         interp->feature_flags |= Py_RTFLAGS_MULTI_INTERP_EXTENSIONS;
     }
 
+    if (!config->site_import) {
+        interp->config.site_import = 0;
+    }
+
     return _PyStatus_OK();
 }