diff --git a/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst b/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst
index 897705cec86fda..9413266b19e12e 100644
--- a/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst
+++ b/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst
@@ -560,6 +560,10 @@ PyConfig
       Set to ``1`` by the :option:`-P` command line option and the
       :envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH` environment variable.
 
+      Set to 0 by the :option:`-p` command line option, which takes precedence
+      over the :option:`-P` option and the :envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH` environment
+      variable (and the :option:`-P` option implied by the :option:`-I` option).
+
       Default: ``0`` in Python config, ``1`` in isolated config.
 
       .. versionadded:: 3.11
diff --git a/Doc/library/sys.rst b/Doc/library/sys.rst
index 5f3b9b5776cb82..d3610dbf805b15 100644
--- a/Doc/library/sys.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/sys.rst
@@ -1142,9 +1142,9 @@ always available.
    the environment variable :envvar:`PYTHONPATH`, plus an installation-dependent
    default.
 
-   By default, as initialized upon program startup, a potentially unsafe path
-   is prepended to :data:`sys.path` (*before* the entries inserted as a result
-   of :envvar:`PYTHONPATH`):
+   By default, as initialized upon program startup, the following path is
+   prepended to :data:`sys.path` (*before* the entries inserted as a result of
+   :envvar:`PYTHONPATH`):
 
    * ``python -m module`` command line: prepend the current working
      directory.
@@ -1154,7 +1154,9 @@ always available.
      string, which means the current working directory.
 
    To not prepend this potentially unsafe path, use the :option:`-P` command
-   line option or the :envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH` environment variable?
+   line option or the :envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH` environment variable. The
+   :option:`-p` option causes the :option:`-P` option and the
+   :envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH` environment variable to be ignored.
 
    A program is free to modify this list for its own purposes.  Only strings
    and bytes should be added to :data:`sys.path`; all other data types are
diff --git a/Doc/using/cmdline.rst b/Doc/using/cmdline.rst
index 07c05a94b99f98..c202f0b2396768 100644
--- a/Doc/using/cmdline.rst
+++ b/Doc/using/cmdline.rst
@@ -284,6 +284,11 @@ Miscellaneous options
    variables are ignored, too. Further restrictions may be imposed to prevent
    the user from injecting malicious code.
 
+   The :option:`-p` option can be used with the :option:`-I` option to ignore
+   the :option:`-P` implied by the :option:`-I` option: prepend a potentially
+   unsafe path to :data:`sys.path` such as the current directory, the script's
+   directory or an empty string.
+
    .. versionadded:: 3.4
 
 
@@ -319,12 +324,30 @@ Miscellaneous options
    * ``python -c code`` and ``python`` (REPL) command lines: Don't prepend an
      empty string, which means the current working directory.
 
-   See also the :envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH` environment variable, and :option:`-E`
+   See also the :envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH` environment variable, and :option:`-p`
    and :option:`-I` (isolated) options.
 
    .. versionadded:: 3.11
 
 
+.. cmdoption:: -p
+
+   Prepend a potentially unsafe path to :data:`sys.path` such as the current
+   directory, the script's directory or an empty string; opposite of the
+   :option:`-P` option.
+
+   This is the default Python behavior. This option can be used to ignore the
+   :option:`-P` command line option and the :envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH`
+   environment variable.
+
+   The :option:`-p` option takes precedence over the :option:`-P` option and
+   the :envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH` environment variable. It also takes precedence
+   over the :option:`-P` option implied by the :option:`-I` option (isolated
+   mode).
+
+   .. versionadded:: 3.12
+
+
 .. cmdoption:: -q
 
    Don't display the copyright and version messages even in interactive mode.
@@ -606,11 +629,18 @@ conflict.
    :ref:`using-on-interface-options`. The search path can be manipulated from
    within a Python program as the variable :data:`sys.path`.
 
+   See also the :option:`-p` and :option:`-P` options and the
+   :envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH` environment variable.
+
 
 .. envvar:: PYTHONSAFEPATH
 
    If this is set to a non-empty string, don't prepend a potentially unsafe
-   path to :data:`sys.path`: see the :option:`-P` option for details.
+   path to :data:`sys.path` such as the current directory, the script's
+   directory or an empty string; same effect as the :option:`-P` option.
+
+   See also the :option:`-P` and :option:`-p` option and the
+   :envvar:`PYTHONPATH` environment variable.
 
    .. versionadded:: 3.11
 
diff --git a/Doc/whatsnew/3.12.rst b/Doc/whatsnew/3.12.rst
index 033de1780b3d18..6e32723e8a3b9d 100644
--- a/Doc/whatsnew/3.12.rst
+++ b/Doc/whatsnew/3.12.rst
@@ -79,6 +79,12 @@ New Features
 Other Language Changes
 ======================
 
+* Add the :option:`-p` command line option to prepend the potentially unsafe
+  path to :data:`sys.path`. It causes the :option:`-P` option and the
+  :envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH` environment variable to be ignored. It also causes
+  the :option:`-P` option implied by the :option:`-I` option (isolated mode) to
+  be ignored.
+  (Contributed by Victor Stinner in :gh:`57684`.)
 
 
 New Modules
diff --git a/Lib/distutils/tests/test_bdist_rpm.py b/Lib/distutils/tests/test_bdist_rpm.py
index 7eefa7b9cad84f..658482226123d9 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/tests/test_bdist_rpm.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/tests/test_bdist_rpm.py
@@ -49,10 +49,9 @@ def tearDown(self):
                      'the rpm command is not found')
     @unittest.skipIf(find_executable('rpmbuild') is None,
                      'the rpmbuild command is not found')
-    # import foo fails with safe path
-    @unittest.skipIf(sys.flags.safe_path,
-                     'PYTHONSAFEPATH changes default sys.path')
     def test_quiet(self):
+        os.environ.pop('PYTHONSAFEPATH', '')
+
         # let's create a package
         tmp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
         os.environ['HOME'] = tmp_dir   # to confine dir '.rpmdb' creation
@@ -96,10 +95,9 @@ def test_quiet(self):
                      'the rpm command is not found')
     @unittest.skipIf(find_executable('rpmbuild') is None,
                      'the rpmbuild command is not found')
-    # import foo fails with safe path
-    @unittest.skipIf(sys.flags.safe_path,
-                     'PYTHONSAFEPATH changes default sys.path')
     def test_no_optimize_flag(self):
+        os.environ.pop('PYTHONSAFEPATH', '')
+
         # let's create a package that breaks bdist_rpm
         tmp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
         os.environ['HOME'] = tmp_dir   # to confine dir '.rpmdb' creation
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_cmd_line.py b/Lib/test/test_cmd_line.py
index ed733d2f616665..40d382be4732f5 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_cmd_line.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_cmd_line.py
@@ -360,8 +360,6 @@ def test_large_PYTHONPATH(self):
         self.assertIn(path1.encode('ascii'), out)
         self.assertIn(path2.encode('ascii'), out)
 
-    @unittest.skipIf(sys.flags.safe_path,
-                     'PYTHONSAFEPATH changes default sys.path')
     def test_empty_PYTHONPATH_issue16309(self):
         # On Posix, it is documented that setting PATH to the
         # empty string is equivalent to not setting PATH at all,
@@ -373,8 +371,8 @@ def test_empty_PYTHONPATH_issue16309(self):
             path = ":".join(sys.path)
             path = path.encode("ascii", "backslashreplace")
             sys.stdout.buffer.write(path)"""
-        rc1, out1, err1 = assert_python_ok('-c', code, PYTHONPATH="")
-        rc2, out2, err2 = assert_python_ok('-c', code, __isolated=False)
+        rc1, out1, err1 = assert_python_ok('-p', '-c', code, PYTHONPATH="")
+        rc2, out2, err2 = assert_python_ok('-p', '-c', code, __isolated=False)
         # regarding to Posix specification, outputs should be equal
         # for empty and unset PYTHONPATH
         self.assertEqual(out1, out2)
@@ -593,10 +591,9 @@ def test_isolatedmode(self):
             with open(main, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
                 f.write("import uuid\n")
                 f.write("print('ok')\n")
-            # Use -E to ignore PYTHONSAFEPATH env var
             self.assertRaises(subprocess.CalledProcessError,
                               subprocess.check_output,
-                              [sys.executable, '-E', main], cwd=tmpdir,
+                              [sys.executable, '-p', main], cwd=tmpdir,
                               stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
             out = subprocess.check_output([sys.executable, "-I", main],
                                           cwd=tmpdir)
@@ -854,6 +851,35 @@ def test_parsing_error(self):
         self.assertTrue(proc.stderr.startswith(err_msg), proc.stderr)
         self.assertNotEqual(proc.returncode, 0)
 
+    def test_safe_path(self):
+        code = 'import sys; print(sys.flags.safe_path)'
+        for env in (False, True):
+            environ = dict(os.environ)
+            if env:
+                environ['PYTHONSAFEPATH'] = '1'
+            else:
+                environ.pop('PYTHONSAFEPATH', '')
+            for options, safe_path in (
+                # PYTHONSAFEPATH env var
+                ([], env),
+                (["-E"], False),
+                (["-E", "-P"], True),
+                # isolated mode (-I)
+                (["-I"], True),
+                (["-I", "-P"], True),
+                (["-I", "-p"], False),
+                (["-I", "-p", "-P"], False),
+                # -p and -P options
+                (["-P"], True),
+                (["-p"], False),
+                (["-p", "-P"], False),
+                (["-P", "-p"], False),
+            ):
+                with self.subTest(env=env, options=options, safe_path=safe_path):
+                    cmd = [sys.executable, *options, "-c", code]
+                    out = subprocess.check_output(cmd, text=True, env=environ)
+                    self.assertEqual(out.strip(), repr(safe_path))
+
 
 @unittest.skipIf(interpreter_requires_environment(),
                  'Cannot run -I tests when PYTHON env vars are required.')
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_cmd_line_script.py b/Lib/test/test_cmd_line_script.py
index d783af65839ad9..1102d086b3d6c1 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_cmd_line_script.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_cmd_line_script.py
@@ -116,9 +116,7 @@ def _check_output(self, script_name, exit_code, data,
         self.assertIn(printed_file.encode('utf-8'), data)
         self.assertIn(printed_package.encode('utf-8'), data)
         self.assertIn(printed_argv0.encode('utf-8'), data)
-        # PYTHONSAFEPATH=1 changes the default sys.path[0]
-        if not sys.flags.safe_path:
-            self.assertIn(printed_path0.encode('utf-8'), data)
+        self.assertIn(printed_path0.encode('utf-8'), data)
         self.assertIn(printed_cwd.encode('utf-8'), data)
 
     def _check_script(self, script_exec_args, expected_file,
@@ -127,7 +125,7 @@ def _check_script(self, script_exec_args, expected_file,
                             *cmd_line_switches, cwd=None, **env_vars):
         if isinstance(script_exec_args, str):
             script_exec_args = [script_exec_args]
-        run_args = [*support.optim_args_from_interpreter_flags(),
+        run_args = [*support.optim_args_from_interpreter_flags(), '-p',
                     *cmd_line_switches, *script_exec_args, *example_args]
         rc, out, err = assert_python_ok(
             *run_args, __isolated=False, __cwd=cwd, **env_vars
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_embed.py b/Lib/test/test_embed.py
index f1ca6da147376c..4f755637bf5e59 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_embed.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_embed.py
@@ -1143,10 +1143,11 @@ def test_init_dont_parse_argv(self):
         pre_config = {
             'parse_argv': 0,
         }
+        argv = ['./argv0', '-E', '-c', 'pass', 'arg1', '-v', 'arg3']
         config = {
             'parse_argv': 0,
-            'argv': ['./argv0', '-E', '-c', 'pass', 'arg1', '-v', 'arg3'],
-            'orig_argv': ['./argv0', '-E', '-c', 'pass', 'arg1', '-v', 'arg3'],
+            'argv': argv,
+            'orig_argv': argv,
             'program_name': './argv0',
         }
         self.check_all_configs("test_init_dont_parse_argv", config, pre_config,
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pdb.py b/Lib/test/test_pdb.py
index 0141b739c25440..6a3c3f9a490d2f 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pdb.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pdb.py
@@ -1369,11 +1369,9 @@ class PdbTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
     def tearDown(self):
         os_helper.unlink(os_helper.TESTFN)
 
-    @unittest.skipIf(sys.flags.safe_path,
-                     'PYTHONSAFEPATH changes default sys.path')
     def _run_pdb(self, pdb_args, commands):
         self.addCleanup(os_helper.rmtree, '__pycache__')
-        cmd = [sys.executable, '-m', 'pdb'] + pdb_args
+        cmd = [sys.executable, '-p', '-m', 'pdb'] + pdb_args
         with subprocess.Popen(
                 cmd,
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_runpy.py b/Lib/test/test_runpy.py
index 6aaa288c14e1d7..91f5153030476d 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_runpy.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_runpy.py
@@ -782,8 +782,7 @@ def run(self, *args, **kwargs):
 
     @requires_subprocess()
     def assertSigInt(self, cmd, *args, **kwargs):
-        # Use -E to ignore PYTHONSAFEPATH
-        cmd = [sys.executable, '-E', *cmd]
+        cmd = [sys.executable, '-p', *cmd]
         proc = subprocess.run(cmd, *args, **kwargs, text=True, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
         self.assertTrue(proc.stderr.endswith("\nKeyboardInterrupt\n"), proc.stderr)
         self.assertEqual(proc.returncode, self.EXPECTED_CODE)
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2022-05-06-03-53-47.gh-issue-57684.ITjOhD.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2022-05-06-03-53-47.gh-issue-57684.ITjOhD.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..3c9d4fd6ff0961
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2022-05-06-03-53-47.gh-issue-57684.ITjOhD.rst	
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Add the :option:`-p` option to ignore the :option:`-P` option and the
+:envvar:`PYTHONSAFEPATH` environment variable. It also causes the :option:`-P`
+option implied by the :option:`-I` option (isolated mode) to be ignored. Patch
+by Victor Stinner.
diff --git a/Misc/python.man b/Misc/python.man
index 69dab58a9aac26..dd79ea415a505d 100644
--- a/Misc/python.man
+++ b/Misc/python.man
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ python \- an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language
 .B \-P
 ]
 [
+.B \-p
+]
+[
 .B \-s
 ]
 [
@@ -185,6 +188,9 @@ Don't automatically prepend a potentially unsafe path to \fBsys.path\fP such
 as the current directory, the script's directory or an empty string. See also the
 \fBPYTHONSAFEPATH\fP environment variable.
 .TP
+.B \-p
+Ignore the \fB\-P\fP option and the \fBPYTHONSAFEPATH\fP environment variable.
+.TP
 .B \-q
 Do not print the version and copyright messages. These messages are
 also suppressed in non-interactive mode.
@@ -409,7 +415,7 @@ interpreter.
 .IP PYTHONSAFEPATH
 If this is set to a non-empty string, don't automatically prepend a potentially
 unsafe path to \fBsys.path\fP such as the current directory, the script's
-directory or an empty string. See also the \fB\-P\fP option.
+directory or an empty string. See also \fB\-P\fP and\fB\-p\fP options.
 .IP PYTHONHOME
 Change the location of the standard Python libraries.  By default, the
 libraries are searched in ${prefix}/lib/python<version> and
diff --git a/Python/getopt.c b/Python/getopt.c
index fcea60759d12cd..6e251c3bc9e648 100644
--- a/Python/getopt.c
+++ b/Python/getopt.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ static const wchar_t *opt_ptr = L"";
 
 /* Python command line short and long options */
 
-#define SHORT_OPTS L"bBc:dEhiIJm:OPqRsStuvVW:xX:?"
+#define SHORT_OPTS L"bBc:dEhiIJm:OpPqRsStuvVW:xX:?"
 
 static const _PyOS_LongOption longopts[] = {
     {L"check-hash-based-pycs", 1, 0},
diff --git a/Python/initconfig.c b/Python/initconfig.c
index a623973f953734..4ae0b478dc09a8 100644
--- a/Python/initconfig.c
+++ b/Python/initconfig.c
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ static const char usage_2[] = "\
          .pyc extension; also PYTHONOPTIMIZE=x\n\
 -OO    : do -O changes and also discard docstrings; add .opt-2 before\n\
          .pyc extension\n\
+-p     : prepend a potentially unsafe path to sys.path\n\
+         (override PYTHONSAFEPATH)\n\
 -P     : don't prepend a potentially unsafe path to sys.path\n\
 -q     : don't print version and copyright messages on interactive startup\n\
 -s     : don't add user site directory to sys.path; also PYTHONNOUSERSITE\n\
@@ -743,7 +745,7 @@ _PyConfig_InitCompatConfig(PyConfig *config)
 #else
     config->use_frozen_modules = 1;
 #endif
-    config->safe_path = 0;
+    config->safe_path = -1;
     config->_is_python_build = 0;
     config->code_debug_ranges = 1;
 }
@@ -799,7 +801,6 @@ PyConfig_InitIsolatedConfig(PyConfig *config)
     config->use_hash_seed = 0;
     config->faulthandler = 0;
     config->tracemalloc = 0;
-    config->safe_path = 1;
     config->pathconfig_warnings = 0;
 #ifdef MS_WINDOWS
     config->legacy_windows_stdio = 0;
@@ -1644,7 +1645,7 @@ config_read_env_vars(PyConfig *config)
         }
     }
 
-    if (config_get_env(config, "PYTHONSAFEPATH")) {
+    if (config_get_env(config, "PYTHONSAFEPATH") && config->safe_path < 0) {
         config->safe_path = 1;
     }
 
@@ -2158,6 +2159,15 @@ config_read(PyConfig *config, int compute_path_config)
         config->parse_argv = 2;
     }
 
+    if (config->safe_path < 0) {
+        if (config->_config_init == _PyConfig_INIT_ISOLATED) {
+            config->safe_path = 1;
+        }
+        else {
+            config->safe_path = 0;
+        }
+    }
+
     return _PyStatus_OK();
 }
 
@@ -2343,8 +2353,15 @@ config_parse_cmdline(PyConfig *config, PyWideStringList *warnoptions,
             config->optimization_level++;
             break;
 
+        case 'p':
+            config->safe_path = 0;
+            break;
+
         case 'P':
-            config->safe_path = 1;
+            // -p option takes precedence over -P option
+            if (config->safe_path < 0) {
+                config->safe_path = 1;
+            }
             break;
 
         case 'B':
diff --git a/Tools/freeze/test/freeze.py b/Tools/freeze/test/freeze.py
index ddbfd7fc9c2f41..b1cbc1f7bd07e3 100644
--- a/Tools/freeze/test/freeze.py
+++ b/Tools/freeze/test/freeze.py
@@ -172,8 +172,7 @@ def freeze(python, scriptfile, outdir):
 
     print(f'freezing {scriptfile}...')
     os.makedirs(outdir, exist_ok=True)
-    # Use -E to ignore PYTHONSAFEPATH
-    _run_quiet([python, '-E', FREEZE, '-o', outdir, scriptfile], outdir)
+    _run_quiet([python, '-p', FREEZE, '-o', outdir, scriptfile], outdir)
     _run_quiet([MAKE, '-C', os.path.dirname(scriptfile)])
 
     name = os.path.basename(scriptfile).rpartition('.')[0]