diff --git a/env/Kconfig b/env/Kconfig
index dcc525d4ed..1cae1edf6a 100644
--- a/env/Kconfig
+++ b/env/Kconfig
@@ -614,6 +614,15 @@ config DELAY_ENVIRONMENT
 	  later by U-Boot code. With CONFIG_OF_CONTROL this is instead
 	  controlled by the value of /config/load-environment.
 
+config ENV_APPEND
+	bool "Always append the environment with new data"
+	default n
+	help
+	  If defined, the environment hash table is only ever appended with new
+	  data, but the existing hash table can never be dropped and reloaded
+	  with newly imported data. This may be used in combination with static
+	  flags to e.g. to protect variables which must not be modified.
+
 config ENV_ACCESS_IGNORE_FORCE
 	bool "Block forced environment operations"
 	default n
diff --git a/env/env.c b/env/env.c
index 2af2fae23c..42c7d8155e 100644
--- a/env/env.c
+++ b/env/env.c
@@ -201,7 +201,9 @@ int env_load(void)
 			printf("OK\n");
 			gd->env_load_prio = prio;
 
+#if !CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(ENV_APPEND)
 			return 0;
+#endif
 		} else if (ret == -ENOMSG) {
 			/* Handle "bad CRC" case */
 			if (best_prio == -1)
diff --git a/lib/hashtable.c b/lib/hashtable.c
index 7b6781bc35..ef834badc5 100644
--- a/lib/hashtable.c
+++ b/lib/hashtable.c
@@ -826,6 +826,10 @@ int himport_r(struct hsearch_data *htab,
 	if (nvars)
 		memcpy(localvars, vars, sizeof(vars[0]) * nvars);
 
+#if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(ENV_APPEND)
+	flag |= H_NOCLEAR;
+#endif
+
 	if ((flag & H_NOCLEAR) == 0 && !nvars) {
 		/* Destroy old hash table if one exists */
 		debug("Destroy Hash Table: %p table = %p\n", htab,