diff --git a/nominatim/server/falcon/server.py b/nominatim/server/falcon/server.py
index 4295b3f3..080650e7 100644
--- a/nominatim/server/falcon/server.py
+++ b/nominatim/server/falcon/server.py
@@ -66,7 +66,12 @@ def get_application(project_dir: Path,
     api = NominatimAPIAsync(project_dir, environ)
 
     app = App(cors_enable=api.config.get_bool('CORS_NOACCESSCONTROL'))
+
+    legacy_urls = api.config.get_bool('SERVE_LEGACY_URLS')
     for name, func in api_impl.ROUTES:
-        app.add_route('/' + name, EndpointWrapper(func, api))
+        endpoint = EndpointWrapper(func, api)
+        app.add_route(f"/{name}", endpoint)
+        if legacy_urls:
+            app.add_route(f"/{name}.php", endpoint)
 
     return app
diff --git a/nominatim/server/sanic/server.py b/nominatim/server/sanic/server.py
index 98e6b6e2..81d62faf 100644
--- a/nominatim/server/sanic/server.py
+++ b/nominatim/server/sanic/server.py
@@ -62,7 +62,11 @@ def get_application(project_dir: Path,
         from sanic_cors import CORS # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
         CORS(app)
 
+    legacy_urls = app.ctx.api.config.get_bool('SERVE_LEGACY_URLS')
     for name, func in api_impl.ROUTES:
-        app.add_route(_wrap_endpoint(func), f"/{name}", name=f"v1_{name}_simple")
+        endpoint = _wrap_endpoint(func)
+        app.add_route(endpoint, f"/{name}", name=f"v1_{name}_simple")
+        if legacy_urls:
+            app.add_route(endpoint, f"/{name}.php", name=f"v1_{name}_legacy")
 
     return app
diff --git a/nominatim/server/starlette/server.py b/nominatim/server/starlette/server.py
index dfbdc502..de9a3f87 100644
--- a/nominatim/server/starlette/server.py
+++ b/nominatim/server/starlette/server.py
@@ -61,8 +61,12 @@ def get_application(project_dir: Path,
     config = Configuration(project_dir, environ)
 
     routes = []
+    legacy_urls = config.get_bool('SERVE_LEGACY_URLS')
     for name, func in api_impl.ROUTES:
-        routes.append(Route(f"/{name}", endpoint=_wrap_endpoint(func)))
+        endpoint = _wrap_endpoint(func)
+        routes.append(Route(f"/{name}", endpoint=endpoint))
+        if legacy_urls:
+            routes.append(Route(f"/{name}.php", endpoint=endpoint))
 
     middleware = []
     if config.get_bool('CORS_NOACCESSCONTROL'):
diff --git a/settings/env.defaults b/settings/env.defaults
index 3115f438..84cd24f1 100644
--- a/settings/env.defaults
+++ b/settings/env.defaults
@@ -204,6 +204,11 @@ NOMINATIM_LOOKUP_MAX_COUNT=50
 # Set to zero to disable polygon output.
 NOMINATIM_POLYGON_OUTPUT_MAX_TYPES=1
 
+# Offer backwards compatible PHP URLs.
+# When running one of the Python enignes, they will add endpoint aliases
+# under <endpoint>.php
+NOMINATIM_SERVE_LEGACY_URLS=yes
+
 ### Log settings
 #
 # The following options allow to enable logging of API requests.