diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4e633aa7..0d512a35 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -353,6 +353,8 @@ Below are listed all the variables you can customize (you may also want to take
         host: ""
         port: ""
         options: {}
+    # SPATIALITE_LIBRARY_PATH django setting
+    openwisp2_spatialite_path: "mod_spatialite"
     # customize other django settings:
     openwisp2_language_code: en-gb
     openwisp2_time_zone: UTC
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 7498f821..ff41f838 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ openwisp2_database:
     host: ""
     port: ""
     options: {}
+openwisp2_spatialite_path: "mod_spatialite"
 openwisp2_language_code: "en-gb"
 openwisp2_time_zone: "UTC"
 openwisp2_context: {}
diff --git a/tasks/apt.yml b/tasks/apt.yml
index 68d04fa3..8718cfcf 100644
--- a/tasks/apt.yml
+++ b/tasks/apt.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     - libproj-dev
     - libgeos-dev
     - libspatialite-dev
+    - libsqlite3-mod-spatialite
 
 # fixes issue described in https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/become.html#becoming-an-unprivileged-user
 - name: Install acl if acting as non-root user
diff --git a/templates/openwisp2/settings.py b/templates/openwisp2/settings.py
index b3ac126d..5950f6e9 100644
--- a/templates/openwisp2/settings.py
+++ b/templates/openwisp2/settings.py
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@
 # Database
 # https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.9/ref/settings/#databases
 
+SPATIALITE_LIBRARY_PATH = '{{ openwisp2_spatialite_path }}'
+
 DATABASES = {
     'default': {
         'ENGINE': '{{ openwisp2_database.engine }}',