diff --git a/llvm/lib/Target/NVPTX/NVPTXTargetMachine.cpp b/llvm/lib/Target/NVPTX/NVPTXTargetMachine.cpp
--- a/llvm/lib/Target/NVPTX/NVPTXTargetMachine.cpp
+++ b/llvm/lib/Target/NVPTX/NVPTXTargetMachine.cpp
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@
         "Use 32-bit pointers for accessing const/local/shared address spaces."),
     cl::init(false), cl::Hidden);
 
+static cl::opt<bool> ExitOnUnreachable(
+    "nvptx-exit-on-unreachable",
+    cl::desc(
+        "Lower 'unreachable' as 'exit' instruction."),
+    cl::init(true), cl::Hidden);
+
 namespace llvm {
 
 void initializeGenericToNVVMLegacyPassPass(PassRegistry &);
@@ -403,7 +409,8 @@
     addPass(createSROAPass());
   }
 
-  addPass(createNVPTXLowerUnreachablePass());
+  if (ExitOnUnreachable)
+    addPass(createNVPTXLowerUnreachablePass());
 }
 
 bool NVPTXPassConfig::addInstSelector() {