diff --git a/lld/COFF/Config.h b/lld/COFF/Config.h
index f7e8b2b76003..3e074e0b7816 100644
--- a/lld/COFF/Config.h
+++ b/lld/COFF/Config.h
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ struct Configuration {
   bool showSummary = false;
   bool printSearchPaths = false;
   bool enableFullPdbPath = false;
+  bool dontMergeSections = false;
   unsigned debugTypes = static_cast<unsigned>(DebugType::None);
   llvm::SmallVector<llvm::StringRef, 0> mllvmOpts;
   std::vector<std::string> natvisFiles;
diff --git a/lld/COFF/Driver.cpp b/lld/COFF/Driver.cpp
index 7221f4566804..6f2b6a071657 100644
--- a/lld/COFF/Driver.cpp
+++ b/lld/COFF/Driver.cpp
@@ -2026,28 +2026,30 @@ void LinkerDriver::linkerMain(ArrayRef<const char *> argsArr) {
   for (auto *arg : args.filtered(OPT_merge))
     parseMerge(arg->getValue());
 
-  // Add default section merging rules after user rules. User rules take
-  // precedence, but we will emit a warning if there is a conflict.
-  parseMerge(".idata=.rdata");
-  parseMerge(".didat=.rdata");
-  if (!config->driver)
-    parseMerge(".edata=.rdata");
-  parseMerge(".xdata=.rdata");
-  parseMerge(".00cfg=.rdata");
-
-  parseMerge(".voltbl=.rdata");
-  parseMerge("newworld=.rdata");
-
-  if (config->driver)
-    parseMerge("INIT2=INIT");
-
-  if (isArm64EC(config->machine))
-    parseMerge(".wowthk=.text");
-
-  if (config->mingw) {
-    parseMerge(".ctors=.rdata");
-    parseMerge(".dtors=.rdata");
-    parseMerge(".CRT=.rdata");
+  if (!config->dontMergeSections) {
+    // Add default section merging rules after user rules. User rules take
+    // precedence, but we will emit a warning if there is a conflict.
+    parseMerge(".idata=.rdata");
+    parseMerge(".didat=.rdata");
+    if (!config->driver)
+      parseMerge(".edata=.rdata");
+    parseMerge(".xdata=.rdata");
+    parseMerge(".00cfg=.rdata");
+    
+    parseMerge(".voltbl=.rdata");
+    parseMerge("newworld=.rdata");
+    
+    if (config->driver)
+      parseMerge("INIT2=INIT");
+    
+    if (isArm64EC(config->machine))
+      parseMerge(".wowthk=.text");
+    
+    if (config->mingw) {
+      parseMerge(".ctors=.rdata");
+      parseMerge(".dtors=.rdata");
+      parseMerge(".CRT=.rdata");
+    }
   }
 
   // Handle /section
diff --git a/lld/COFF/Options.td b/lld/COFF/Options.td
index bb00e226bdf9..e4a6f6e457b8 100644
--- a/lld/COFF/Options.td
+++ b/lld/COFF/Options.td
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ multiclass B_priv<string name> {
   def _no : F<name#":no">;
 }
 
+def dont_merge_sections: F<"dont-merge-sections">,
+    HelpText<"Each data directory will have its own section">;
+
 def align   : P<"align", "Section alignment">;
 def aligncomm : P<"aligncomm", "Set common symbol alignment">;
 def alternatename : P<"alternatename", "Define weak alias">;