diff --git a/bugwarrior/db.py b/bugwarrior/db.py
index 1d7ab2649..71c787bcf 100644
--- a/bugwarrior/db.py
+++ b/bugwarrior/db.py
@@ -321,6 +321,8 @@ def _bool_option(section, option, default):
     )
 
     legacy_matching = _bool_option(main_section, 'legacy_matching', 'True')
+    merge_annotations = _bool_option(main_section, 'merge_annotations', 'True')
+    merge_tags = _bool_option(main_section, 'merge_tags', 'True')
 
     issue_updates = {
         'new': [],
@@ -345,8 +347,11 @@ def _bool_option(section, option, default):
                 del issue_dict[field]
 
             # Merge annotations & tags from online into our task object
-            merge_left('annotations', task, issue_dict, hamming=True)
-            merge_left('tags', task, issue_dict)
+            if merge_annotations:
+                merge_left('annotations', task, issue_dict, hamming=True)
+
+            if merge_tags:
+                merge_left('tags', task, issue_dict)
 
             issue_dict.pop('annotations', None)
             issue_dict.pop('tags', None)
diff --git a/bugwarrior/docs/common_configuration.rst b/bugwarrior/docs/common_configuration.rst
index 40f2c437f..99a3f9a80 100644
--- a/bugwarrior/docs/common_configuration.rst
+++ b/bugwarrior/docs/common_configuration.rst
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ Optional options include:
   written.  By default, logging messages will be written to stderr.
 * ``annotation_length``: Import maximally this number of characters
   of incoming annotations.  Default: 45.
+* ``merge_annotations``: If ``False``, bugwarrior won't bother with adding
+  annotations to your tasks at all.  Default: ``True``.
+* ``merge_tags``: If ``False``, bugwarrior won't bother with adding
+  tags to your tasks at all.  Default: ``True``.
 
 In addition to the ``[general]`` section, sections may be named
 ``[flavor.myflavor]`` and may be selected using the ``--flavor`` option to