diff --git a/lib/grunt/config.js b/lib/grunt/config.js
index a427c3d4e..59b8242ac 100644
--- a/lib/grunt/config.js
+++ b/lib/grunt/config.js
@@ -81,6 +81,12 @@ config.set = function(prop, value) {
   return grunt.util.namespace.set(config.data, config.getPropString(prop), value);
 };
 
+// Deep merge config data.
+config.merge = function(obj) {
+  grunt.util._.merge(config.data, obj);
+  return config.data;
+};
+
 // Initialize config data.
 config.init = function(obj) {
   grunt.verbose.write('Initializing config...').ok();
diff --git a/test/grunt/config_test.js b/test/grunt/config_test.js
index 84db9fa41..ac6fa1785 100644
--- a/test/grunt/config_test.js
+++ b/test/grunt/config_test.js
@@ -85,6 +85,20 @@ exports['config'] = {
     test.equal(grunt.config.data.a.b.c, '<%= foo2 %>', 'Should have set the value.');
     test.done();
   },
+  'config.merge': function(test) {
+    test.expect(4);
+    test.deepEqual(grunt.config.merge({}), grunt.config.getRaw(), 'Should return internal data object.');
+    grunt.config.set('obj', {a: 12});
+    grunt.config.merge({
+      foo: 'test',
+      baz: '123',
+      obj: {a: 34, b: 56},
+    });
+    test.deepEqual(grunt.config.getRaw('foo'), 'test', 'Should overwrite existing properties.');
+    test.deepEqual(grunt.config.getRaw('baz'), '123', 'Should add new properties.');
+    test.deepEqual(grunt.config.getRaw('obj'), {a: 34, b: 56}, 'Should deep merge.');
+    test.done();
+  },
   'config': function(test) {
     test.expect(10);
     test.equal(grunt.config('foo'), 'bar', 'Should retrieve processed data.');