diff --git a/packages/core/src/components/menu/menuItem.tsx b/packages/core/src/components/menu/menuItem.tsx
index f2803210fc..3273faceab 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/components/menu/menuItem.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/components/menu/menuItem.tsx
@@ -86,18 +86,25 @@ export interface IMenuItemProps extends ActionProps, LinkProps, IElementRefProps
      * `<li role="option"`
      *     `<a role=undefined`
      *
-     *  which is proper role structure for a `<ul role="listbox"` parent, or a `<select>` parent.
+     * which is proper role structure for a `<ul role="listbox"` parent, or a `<select>` parent.
      *
      * If `listitem`, role structure becomes:
      *
      * `<li role=undefined`
      *     `<a role=undefined`
      *
-     *  which can be used if this item is within a basic `<ul/>` (or `role="list"`) parent.
+     * which can be used if this item is within a basic `<ul/>` (or `role="list"`) parent.
+     *
+     * If `none`, role structure becomes:
+     *
+     * `<li role="none"`
+     *     `<a role=undefined`
+     *
+     * which can be used if wrapping this item in a custom `<li>` parent.
      *
      * @default "menuitem"
      */
-    roleStructure?: "menuitem" | "listoption" | "listitem";
+    roleStructure?: "menuitem" | "listoption" | "listitem" | "none";
 
     /**
      * Whether the text should be allowed to wrap to multiple lines.
@@ -213,6 +220,8 @@ export class MenuItem extends AbstractPureComponent2<MenuItemProps & React.Ancho
                 ? ["option", undefined, active || selected] // parent has listbox role, or is a <select>
                 : roleStructure === "menuitem"
                 ? ["none", "menuitem", undefined] // parent has menu role
+                : roleStructure === "none"
+                ? ["none", undefined, undefined] // if wrapping in a custom <li>
                 : [undefined, undefined, undefined]; // roleStructure === "listitem"-- needs no role prop, li is listitem by default
 
         const target = React.createElement(
diff --git a/packages/popover2/src/menu-item2.md b/packages/popover2/src/menu-item2.md
index 3d61db61a3..913ec4e86a 100644
--- a/packages/popover2/src/menu-item2.md
+++ b/packages/popover2/src/menu-item2.md
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ depending on the `role` attribute of its parent `<ul>` list:
     `<li role="option">` and `<a>` (anchor role undefined).
 - `roleStructure="listitem"` is appropriate for a `<ul>` (no role defined) or a `<ul role="list">` parent. The
     item will render with `<li>` and `<a>` (roles undefined).
+- `roleStructure="none"` is useful when wrapping in a custom `<li>`. The
+    item will render with `<li role="none">` and `<a>` (roles undefined).
 
 @## Selection state
 
diff --git a/packages/popover2/src/menuItem2.tsx b/packages/popover2/src/menuItem2.tsx
index e017cf958c..88f584cc9b 100644
--- a/packages/popover2/src/menuItem2.tsx
+++ b/packages/popover2/src/menuItem2.tsx
@@ -94,18 +94,25 @@ export interface MenuItem2Props extends ActionProps, LinkProps, IElementRefProps
      * `<li role="option"`
      *     `<a role=undefined`
      *
-     *  which is proper role structure for a `<ul role="listbox"` parent, or a `<select>` parent.
+     * which is proper role structure for a `<ul role="listbox"` parent, or a `<select>` parent.
      *
      * If `listitem`, role structure becomes:
      *
      * `<li role=undefined`
      *     `<a role=undefined`
      *
-     *  which can be used if this item is within a basic `<ul/>` (or `role="list"`) parent.
+     * which can be used if this item is within a basic `<ul/>` (or `role="list"`) parent.
+     *
+     * If `none`, role structure becomes:
+     *
+     * `<li role="none"`
+     *     `<a role=undefined`
+     *
+     * which can be used if wrapping this item in a custom `<li>` parent.
      *
      * @default "menuitem"
      */
-    roleStructure?: "menuitem" | "listoption" | "listitem";
+    roleStructure?: "menuitem" | "listoption" | "listitem" | "none";
 
     /**
      * Whether the text should be allowed to wrap to multiple lines.
@@ -218,6 +225,13 @@ export class MenuItem2 extends AbstractPureComponent2<MenuItem2Props & React.Anc
                       this.props.icon,
                       undefined, // don't set aria-selected prop
                   ]
+                : roleStructure === "none" // "none": allows wrapping MenuItem in custom <li>
+                ? [
+                      "none",
+                      undefined, // target should have no role
+                      this.props.icon,
+                      undefined, // don't set aria-selected prop
+                  ]
                 : // roleStructure === "listitem"
                   [
                       undefined, // needs no role prop, li is listitem by default