diff --git a/meta/classes-global/staging.bbclass b/meta/classes-global/staging.bbclass
index 5833abebc8..9ea4c644db 100644
--- a/meta/classes-global/staging.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes-global/staging.bbclass
@@ -91,10 +91,12 @@ python sysroot_strip () {
     base_libdir = d.getVar("base_libdir")
     qa_already_stripped = 'already-stripped' in (d.getVar('INSANE_SKIP:' + pn) or "").split()
     strip_cmd = d.getVar("STRIP")
+    keep_sections = d.getVar('PACKAGE_KEEP_SECTIONS') or ""
 
     max_process = oe.utils.get_bb_number_threads(d)
     oe.package.strip_execs(pn, dstdir, strip_cmd, libdir, base_libdir, max_process,
-                           qa_already_stripped=qa_already_stripped)
+                           qa_already_stripped=qa_already_stripped,
+                           keep_sections=keep_sections)
 }
 
 do_populate_sysroot[dirs] = "${SYSROOT_DESTDIR}"
diff --git a/meta/lib/oe/package.py b/meta/lib/oe/package.py
index b7030643d2..620f9fefc8 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oe/package.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oe/package.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import shutil
 import bb.parse
 import oe.cachedpath
 
-def runstrip(file, elftype, strip, extra_strip_sections=''):
+def runstrip(file, elftype, strip, extra_strip_sections='', keep_sections=''):
     # Function to strip a single file, called from split_and_strip_files below
     # A working 'file' (one which works on the target architecture)
     #
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ def runstrip(file, elftype, strip, extra_strip_sections=''):
             for section in extra_strip_sections.split():
                 stripcmd.extend(["--remove-section=" + section])
 
+    if keep_sections != '' and not elftype & 16:
+        for section in keep_sections.split():
+            stripcmd.extend(["--keep-section=" + section])
+
     stripcmd.append(file)
     bb.debug(1, "runstrip: %s" % stripcmd)
 
@@ -96,7 +100,8 @@ def is_static_lib(path):
             return start == magic
     return False
 
-def strip_execs(pn, dstdir, strip_cmd, libdir, base_libdir, max_process, qa_already_stripped=False):
+def strip_execs(pn, dstdir, strip_cmd, libdir, base_libdir, max_process,
+                qa_already_stripped=False, keep_sections=''):
     """
     Strip executable code (like executables, shared libraries) _in_place_
     - Based on sysroot_strip in staging.bbclass
@@ -107,6 +112,9 @@ def strip_execs(pn, dstdir, strip_cmd, libdir, base_libdir, max_process, qa_alre
     :param max_process: number of stripping processes started in parallel
     :param qa_already_stripped: Set to True if already-stripped' in ${INSANE_SKIP}
     This is for proper logging and messages only.
+    :param keep_sections: Space separated list of ELF sections to keep even
+    though the file is being stripped, for example ".debug_frame" so that
+    libunwind can use it to generate backtraces.
     """
     import stat, errno, oe.path, oe.utils
 
@@ -175,7 +183,8 @@ def strip_execs(pn, dstdir, strip_cmd, libdir, base_libdir, max_process, qa_alre
         elf_file = int(elffiles[file])
         sfiles.append((file, elf_file, strip_cmd))
 
-    oe.utils.multiprocess_launch_mp(runstrip, sfiles, max_process)
+    oe.utils.multiprocess_launch_mp(runstrip, sfiles, max_process,
+                                    extraargs=('', keep_sections))
 
 TRANSLATE = (
     ("@", "@at@"),
@@ -1359,7 +1368,9 @@ def process_split_and_strip_files(d):
             for f in staticlibs:
                 sfiles.append((f, 16, strip))
 
-        oe.utils.multiprocess_launch(oe.package.runstrip, sfiles, d)
+        keep_sections = d.getVar('PACKAGE_KEEP_SECTIONS') or ""
+        oe.utils.multiprocess_launch(oe.package.runstrip, sfiles, d,
+                                     extraargs=('', keep_sections))
 
     # Build "minidebuginfo" and reinject it back into the stripped binaries
     if bb.utils.contains('DISTRO_FEATURES', 'minidebuginfo', True, False, d):
diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/package.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/package.py
index 38ed7173fe..96aee21177 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/package.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/package.py
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@
 #
 
 from oeqa.selftest.case import OESelftestTestCase
-from oeqa.utils.commands import bitbake, get_bb_vars, get_bb_var, runqemu
+from oeqa.utils.commands import bitbake, get_bb_vars, get_bb_var, runqemu, runCmd
 import subprocess, os
 import oe.path
 import re
+import tempfile
+import tarfile
 
 class VersionOrdering(OESelftestTestCase):
     # version1, version2, sort order
@@ -208,3 +210,51 @@ class PackageTests(OESelftestTestCase):
                           sysconfdir + "/selftest-chown/symlink",
                           sysconfdir + "/selftest-chown/fifotest/fifo"]:
                 check_ownership(qemu, "test", "test", path)
+
+class PackageKeepSections(OESelftestTestCase):
+    def test_package_keep_sections(self):
+        """
+        Verify that PACKAGE_KEEP_SECTIONS prevents 'strip' from removing the
+        listed ELF sections, and that they are removed as usual when the
+        variable isn't set.
+        """
+        # GCC only emits .debug_frame on targets that don't already rely on
+        # .eh_frame for unwinding, which in practice means 32-bit Arm: use
+        # qemuarm so the section actually exists before strip runs. Do this
+        # before querying any other variable below, as they all depend on
+        # MACHINE.
+        self.write_config("""
+MACHINE = "qemuarm"
+IMAGE_FSTYPES = "tar.bz2"
+""")
+
+        target_sys = get_bb_var("TARGET_SYS")
+        bb_vars = get_bb_vars(['DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE', 'IMAGE_LINK_NAME', 'READELF'], 'core-image-minimal')
+        binutils = "binutils-cross-{}".format(get_bb_var("TARGET_ARCH"))
+        bitbake("{}:do_addto_recipe_sysroot".format(binutils))
+        native_sysroot = get_bb_var("RECIPE_SYSROOT_NATIVE", binutils)
+
+        def has_section(section):
+            with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix = "unpackfs-") as unpackedfs:
+                filename = os.path.join(bb_vars['DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE'], "{}.tar.bz2".format(bb_vars['IMAGE_LINK_NAME']))
+                with tarfile.open(filename) as tar:
+                    tar.extract("./usr/bin/busybox.nosuid", path=unpackedfs)
+
+                r = runCmd([bb_vars['READELF'], "-W", "-S", os.path.join(unpackedfs, "usr", "bin", "busybox.nosuid")],
+                        native_sysroot = native_sysroot, target_sys = target_sys)
+                return section in r.output
+
+        bitbake("core-image-minimal")
+        self.assertFalse(has_section(".debug_frame"),
+                          "busybox should not carry a .debug_frame section by default")
+
+        self.write_config("""
+MACHINE = "qemuarm"
+IMAGE_FSTYPES = "tar.bz2"
+PACKAGE_KEEP_SECTIONS:pn-busybox = ".debug_frame"
+""")
+        bitbake("busybox -c package -f")
+        bitbake("core-image-minimal")
+        self.assertTrue(has_section(".debug_frame"),
+                         "busybox should carry a .debug_frame section when "
+                         "PACKAGE_KEEP_SECTIONS is set")
