diff --git a/lld/ELF/OutputSections.h b/lld/ELF/OutputSections.h
--- a/lld/ELF/OutputSections.h
+++ b/lld/ELF/OutputSections.h
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@
   std::string memoryRegionName;
   std::string lmaRegionName;
   bool nonAlloc = false;
-  bool noload = false;
+  bool typeIsSet = false;
   bool expressionsUseSymbols = false;
   bool usedInExpression = false;
   bool inOverlay = false;
diff --git a/lld/ELF/OutputSections.cpp b/lld/ELF/OutputSections.cpp
--- a/lld/ELF/OutputSections.cpp
+++ b/lld/ELF/OutputSections.cpp
@@ -108,32 +108,34 @@
 // isec. Also check whether the InputSection flags and type are consistent with
 // other InputSections.
 void OutputSection::commitSection(InputSection *isec) {
+  if (LLVM_UNLIKELY(type != isec->type)) {
+    if (hasInputSections || typeIsSet) {
+      if (typeIsSet || !canMergeToProgbits(type) ||
+          !canMergeToProgbits(isec->type)) {
+        errorOrWarn("section type mismatch for " + isec->name + "\n>>> " +
+                    toString(isec) + ": " +
+                    getELFSectionTypeName(config->emachine, isec->type) +
+                    "\n>>> output section " + name + ": " +
+                    getELFSectionTypeName(config->emachine, type));
+      }
+      type = SHT_PROGBITS;
+    } else {
+      type = isec->type;
+    }
+  }
   if (!hasInputSections) {
     // If IS is the first section to be added to this section,
     // initialize type, entsize and flags from isec.
     hasInputSections = true;
-    type = isec->type;
     entsize = isec->entsize;
     flags = isec->flags;
   } else {
     // Otherwise, check if new type or flags are compatible with existing ones.
     if ((flags ^ isec->flags) & SHF_TLS)
-      error("incompatible section flags for " + name + "\n>>> " + toString(isec) +
-            ": 0x" + utohexstr(isec->flags) + "\n>>> output section " + name +
-            ": 0x" + utohexstr(flags));
-
-    if (type != isec->type) {
-      if (!canMergeToProgbits(type) || !canMergeToProgbits(isec->type))
-        error("section type mismatch for " + isec->name + "\n>>> " +
-              toString(isec) + ": " +
-              getELFSectionTypeName(config->emachine, isec->type) +
-              "\n>>> output section " + name + ": " +
-              getELFSectionTypeName(config->emachine, type));
-      type = SHT_PROGBITS;
-    }
+      error("incompatible section flags for " + name + "\n>>> " +
+            toString(isec) + ": 0x" + utohexstr(isec->flags) +
+            "\n>>> output section " + name + ": 0x" + utohexstr(flags));
   }
-  if (noload)
-    type = SHT_NOBITS;
 
   isec->parent = this;
   uint64_t andMask =
@@ -448,14 +450,14 @@
       writeInt(buf + data->offset, data->expression().getValue(), data->size);
 }
 
-static void finalizeShtGroup(OutputSection *os,
-                             InputSection *section) {
-  assert(config->relocatable);
-
+static void finalizeShtGroup(OutputSection *os, InputSection *section) {
   // sh_link field for SHT_GROUP sections should contain the section index of
   // the symbol table.
   os->link = in.symTab->getParent()->sectionIndex;
 
+  if (!section)
+    return;
+
   // sh_info then contain index of an entry in symbol table section which
   // provides signature of the section group.
   ArrayRef<Symbol *> symbols = section->file->getSymbols();
diff --git a/lld/ELF/ScriptParser.cpp b/lld/ELF/ScriptParser.cpp
--- a/lld/ELF/ScriptParser.cpp
+++ b/lld/ELF/ScriptParser.cpp
@@ -786,19 +786,45 @@
   };
 }
 
+#define ECase(X)                                                               \
+  { #X, X }
+constexpr std::pair<const char *, unsigned> typeMap[] = {
+    ECase(SHT_PROGBITS),   ECase(SHT_NOTE),       ECase(SHT_NOBITS),
+    ECase(SHT_INIT_ARRAY), ECase(SHT_FINI_ARRAY), ECase(SHT_PREINIT_ARRAY),
+};
+#undef ECase
+
 // Tries to read the special directive for an output section definition which
-// can be one of following: "(NOLOAD)", "(COPY)", "(INFO)" or "(OVERLAY)".
-// Tok1 and Tok2 are next 2 tokens peeked. See comment for readSectionAddressType below.
+// can be one of following: "(NOLOAD)", "(COPY)", "(INFO)", "(OVERLAY)", and
+// "(TYPE=<value>)".
+// Tok1 and Tok2 are next 2 tokens peeked. See comment for
+// readSectionAddressType below.
 bool ScriptParser::readSectionDirective(OutputSection *cmd, StringRef tok1, StringRef tok2) {
   if (tok1 != "(")
     return false;
-  if (tok2 != "NOLOAD" && tok2 != "COPY" && tok2 != "INFO" && tok2 != "OVERLAY")
+  if (tok2 != "NOLOAD" && tok2 != "COPY" && tok2 != "INFO" &&
+      tok2 != "OVERLAY" && tok2 != "TYPE")
     return false;
 
   expect("(");
   if (consume("NOLOAD")) {
-    cmd->noload = true;
     cmd->type = SHT_NOBITS;
+    cmd->typeIsSet = true;
+  } else if (consume("TYPE")) {
+    expect("=");
+    StringRef value = peek();
+    auto it = llvm::find_if(typeMap, [=](auto e) { return e.first == value; });
+    if (it != std::end(typeMap)) {
+      // The value is a recognized literal SHT_*.
+      cmd->type = it->second;
+      skip();
+    } else if (value.startswith("SHT_")) {
+      setError("unknown section type " + value);
+    } else {
+      // Otherwise, read an expression.
+      cmd->type = readExpr()().getValue();
+    }
+    cmd->typeIsSet = true;
   } else {
     skip(); // This is "COPY", "INFO" or "OVERLAY".
     cmd->nonAlloc = true;
@@ -819,7 +845,11 @@
 // https://sourceware.org/binutils/docs/ld/Output-Section-Address.html
 // https://sourceware.org/binutils/docs/ld/Output-Section-Type.html
 void ScriptParser::readSectionAddressType(OutputSection *cmd) {
-  if (readSectionDirective(cmd, peek(), peek2()))
+  // Temporarily set inExpr to support TYPE=<value> without spaces.
+  bool saved = std::exchange(inExpr, true);
+  bool isDirective = readSectionDirective(cmd, peek(), peek2());
+  inExpr = saved;
+  if (isDirective)
     return;
 
   cmd->addrExpr = readExpr();
diff --git a/lld/docs/ELF/linker_script.rst b/lld/docs/ELF/linker_script.rst
--- a/lld/docs/ELF/linker_script.rst
+++ b/lld/docs/ELF/linker_script.rst
@@ -102,6 +102,12 @@
 
 - ``NOLOAD``: set ``sh_type`` to ``SHT_NOBITS``.
 - ``COPY``, ``INFO``, ``OVERLAY``: clear the ``SHF_ALLOC`` bit in ``sh_flags``.
+- ``TYPE=<value>``: set ``sh_type`` to the specified value. ``<value>`` must be
+  an integer or one of ``SHT_PROGBITS, SHT_NOTE, SHT_NOBITS, SHT_INIT_ARRAY,
+  SHT_FINI_ARRAY, SHT_PREINIT_ARRAY``.
+
+When ``sh_type`` is specified, it is an error if an input section in *S* has a
+different type.
 
 Output section alignment
 ------------------------
diff --git a/lld/test/ELF/linkerscript/custom-section-type.s b/lld/test/ELF/linkerscript/custom-section-type.s
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lld/test/ELF/linkerscript/custom-section-type.s
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+# REQUIRES: x86
+## TYPE=<value> customizes the output section type.
+
+# RUN: rm -rf %t && split-file %s %t
+# RUN: llvm-mc -filetype=obj -triple=x86_64-unknown-linux %t/a.s -o %t/a.o
+# RUN: llvm-mc -filetype=obj -triple=x86_64-unknown-linux %t/mismatch.s -o %t/mismatch.o
+# RUN: ld.lld -T %t/a.lds %t/a.o -o %t/a
+# RUN: llvm-readelf -S %t/a | FileCheck %s
+
+# RUN: ld.lld -r -T %t/a.lds %t/a.o -o %t/a.ro
+# RUN: llvm-readelf -S %t/a.ro | FileCheck %s
+
+# CHECK:       [Nr] Name              Type            Address          Off      Size   ES Flg Lk Inf Al
+# CHECK-NEXT:  [ 0]                   NULL            [[#%x,]]         [[#%x,]] 000000 00      0   0  0
+# CHECK-NEXT:  [ 1] progbits          PROGBITS        [[#%x,]]         [[#%x,]] 000001 00   A  0   0  1
+# CHECK-NEXT:  [ 2] note              NOTE            [[#%x,]]         [[#%x,]] 000002 00   A  0   0  1
+# CHECK-NEXT:  [ 3] nobits            NOBITS          [[#%x,]]         [[#%x,]] 000001 00   A  0   0  1
+# CHECK-NEXT:  [ 4] init_array        INIT_ARRAY      [[#%x,]]         [[#%x,]] 000008 00   A  0   0  1
+# CHECK-NEXT:  [ 5] fini_array        FINI_ARRAY      [[#%x,]]         [[#%x,]] 000008 00   A  0   0  1
+# CHECK-NEXT:  [ 6] preinit_array     PREINIT_ARRAY   [[#%x,]]         [[#%x,]] 000008 00   A  0   0  1
+# CHECK-NEXT:  [ 7] group             GROUP           [[#%x,]]         [[#%x,]] 000004 00   A [[#SYMTAB:]] 0  1
+# CHECK-NEXT:  [ 8] expr              0x42: <unknown> [[#%x,]]         [[#%x,]] 000001 00   A  0   0  1
+# CHECK:       [[[#SYMTAB]]] .symtab  SYMTAB
+
+# RUN: not ld.lld -T %t/a.lds %t/a.o %t/mismatch.o -o /dev/null 2>&1 | FileCheck %s --check-prefix=ERR1
+
+# ERR1:      error: section type mismatch for progbits
+# ERR1-NEXT: >>> {{.*}}.o:(progbits): SHT_NOTE
+# ERR1-NEXT: >>> output section progbits: SHT_PROGBITS
+# ERR1:      error: section type mismatch for expr
+# ERR1-NEXT: >>> {{.*}}.o:(expr): Unknown
+# ERR1-NEXT: >>> output section expr: Unknown
+
+# RUN: ld.lld -T %t/a.lds %t/a.o %t/mismatch.o -o %t/mismatch --noinhibit-exec
+# RUN: llvm-readelf -S %t/mismatch | FileCheck %s --check-prefix=MISMATCH
+
+## Mismatched progbits and expr are changed to SHT_PROGBITS.
+# MISMATCH: progbits PROGBITS
+# MISMATCH: note     NOTE
+# MISMATCH: expr     PROGBITS
+
+# RUN: not ld.lld -T %t/unknown1.lds %t/a.o -o /dev/null 2>&1 | FileCheck %s --check-prefix=UNKNOWN1
+# UNKNOWN1: error: {{.*}}.lds:1: symbol not found: foo
+
+## For a symbol named SHT_*, give a better diagnostic.
+# RUN: not ld.lld -T %t/unknown2.lds %t/a.o -o /dev/null 2>&1 | FileCheck %s --check-prefix=UNKNOWN2
+# UNKNOWN2: error: {{.*}}.lds:1: unknown section type SHT_DYNAMIC
+
+# RUN: not ld.lld -T %t/parseerr1.lds %t/a.o -o /dev/null 2>&1 | FileCheck %s --check-prefix=PARSEERR1
+# PARSEERR1: error: {{.*}}.lds:1: = expected, but got )
+
+#--- a.s
+.globl _start, myinit
+_start:
+  ret
+myinit:
+  ret
+
+## Compatible with TYPE = SHT_NOTE below.
+.section note,"a",@note
+.byte 0
+
+#--- a.lds
+SECTIONS {
+  progbits (TYPE=SHT_PROGBITS) : { BYTE(1) }
+  note (TYPE = SHT_NOTE) : { BYTE(7) *(note) }
+  nobits ( TYPE=SHT_NOBITS) : { BYTE(8) }
+  init_array (TYPE=SHT_INIT_ARRAY ) : { QUAD(myinit) }
+  fini_array (TYPE=SHT_FINI_ARRAY) : { QUAD(15) }
+  preinit_array (TYPE=SHT_PREINIT_ARRAY) : { QUAD(16) }
+  group (TYPE=17) : { LONG(17) }
+  expr (TYPE=0x41+1) : { BYTE(0x42) *(expr) }
+}
+
+#--- mismatch.s
+.section progbits,"a",@note
+.byte 0
+
+.section expr,"a",@12345
+.byte 0
+
+#--- unknown1.lds
+SECTIONS { err (TYPE=foo) : {} }
+
+#--- unknown2.lds
+SECTIONS { err (TYPE=SHT_DYNAMIC) : {} }
+
+#--- parseerr1.lds
+SECTIONS { err (TYPE) : {} }
diff --git a/lld/test/ELF/linkerscript/noload.s b/lld/test/ELF/linkerscript/noload.s
--- a/lld/test/ELF/linkerscript/noload.s
+++ b/lld/test/ELF/linkerscript/noload.s
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # REQUIRES: x86
 # RUN: split-file %s %t
 # RUN: llvm-mc -filetype=obj -triple=x86_64 %t/asm -o %t.o
+# RUN: llvm-mc -filetype=obj -triple=x86_64 %t/mismatch.s -o %t/mismatch.o
 # RUN: ld.lld --script %t/lds %t.o -o %t/out
 # RUN: llvm-readelf -S -l %t/out | FileCheck %s
 
@@ -16,16 +17,24 @@
 # CHECK:      00 .data_noload_a .data_noload_b .no_input_sec_noload {{$}}
 # CHECK:      01 .text {{$}}
 
+# RUN: not ld.lld --script %t/lds %t.o %t/mismatch.o -o /dev/null 2>&1 | FileCheck %s --check-prefix=ERR
+
+# ERR: error: section type mismatch for .data_noload_a
+
 #--- asm
 .section .text,"ax",@progbits
   nop
 
-.section .data_noload_a,"aw",@progbits
+.section .data_noload_a,"aw",@nobits
 .zero 4096
 
-.section .data_noload_b,"aw",@progbits
+.section .data_noload_b,"aw",@nobits
 .zero 4096
 
+#--- mismatch.s
+.section .data_noload_a,"aw",@progbits
+.byte 1
+
 #--- lds
 SECTIONS {
   .data_noload_a (NOLOAD) : { *(.data_noload_a) }