diff --git a/llvm/docs/LangRef.rst b/llvm/docs/LangRef.rst
--- a/llvm/docs/LangRef.rst
+++ b/llvm/docs/LangRef.rst
@@ -6553,6 +6553,27 @@
     @b = internal global i32 2, comdat $a, section "abc", !associated !0
     !0 = !{i32* @a}
 
+'``retain``' Metadata
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+The ``retain`` metadata may be attached to a global object definition. This
+metadata marks the section of the global object as a linker GC root.
+
+If an explicit section is specified, a unique section will be created to not
+lose linker GC precision.
+
+This metadata only has effects on ELF targets.
+
+Example:
+
+.. code-block:: llvm
+
+    @a = global i32 1, !retain !{}
+    @b = constant i32 2, !retain !{}
+
+    define void @f() !retain !{} {
+      ...
+    }
 
 '``prof``' Metadata
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
diff --git a/llvm/include/llvm/IR/FixedMetadataKinds.def b/llvm/include/llvm/IR/FixedMetadataKinds.def
--- a/llvm/include/llvm/IR/FixedMetadataKinds.def
+++ b/llvm/include/llvm/IR/FixedMetadataKinds.def
@@ -42,3 +42,4 @@
 LLVM_FIXED_MD_KIND(MD_vcall_visibility, "vcall_visibility", 28)
 LLVM_FIXED_MD_KIND(MD_noundef, "noundef", 29)
 LLVM_FIXED_MD_KIND(MD_annotation, "annotation", 30)
+LLVM_FIXED_MD_KIND(MD_retain, "retain", 31)
diff --git a/llvm/lib/CodeGen/TargetLoweringObjectFileImpl.cpp b/llvm/lib/CodeGen/TargetLoweringObjectFileImpl.cpp
--- a/llvm/lib/CodeGen/TargetLoweringObjectFileImpl.cpp
+++ b/llvm/lib/CodeGen/TargetLoweringObjectFileImpl.cpp
@@ -685,9 +685,15 @@
   // MD_associated in a unique section.
   unsigned UniqueID = MCContext::GenericSectionID;
   const MCSymbolELF *LinkedToSym = getLinkedToSymbol(GO, TM);
-  if (GO->getMetadata(LLVMContext::MD_associated)) {
+  const bool Associated = GO->getMetadata(LLVMContext::MD_associated);
+  const bool Retain = GO->getMetadata(LLVMContext::MD_retain);
+  if (Associated || Retain) {
     UniqueID = NextUniqueID++;
-    Flags |= ELF::SHF_LINK_ORDER;
+    if (Associated)
+      Flags |= ELF::SHF_LINK_ORDER;
+    if (Retain && (getContext().getAsmInfo()->useIntegratedAssembler() ||
+                   getContext().getAsmInfo()->binutilsIsAtLeast(2, 36)))
+      Flags |= ELF::SHF_GNU_RETAIN;
   } else {
     if (getContext().getAsmInfo()->useIntegratedAssembler() ||
         getContext().getAsmInfo()->binutilsIsAtLeast(2, 35)) {
@@ -807,6 +813,12 @@
     EmitUniqueSection = true;
     Flags |= ELF::SHF_LINK_ORDER;
   }
+  if (GO->getMetadata(LLVMContext::MD_retain) &&
+      (Ctx.getAsmInfo()->useIntegratedAssembler() ||
+       Ctx.getAsmInfo()->binutilsIsAtLeast(2, 36))) {
+    EmitUniqueSection = true;
+    Flags |= ELF::SHF_GNU_RETAIN;
+  }
 
   MCSectionELF *Section = selectELFSectionForGlobal(
       Ctx, GO, Kind, Mang, TM, EmitUniqueSection, Flags,
diff --git a/llvm/test/CodeGen/X86/elf-retain.ll b/llvm/test/CodeGen/X86/elf-retain.ll
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/llvm/test/CodeGen/X86/elf-retain.ll
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+; RUN: llc -mtriple=x86_64 < %s | FileCheck %s
+; RUN: llc -mtriple=x86_64 -data-sections=1 < %s | FileCheck %s
+; RUN: llc -mtriple=x86_64 -no-integrated-as -binutils-version=2.36 < %s | FileCheck %s
+; RUN: llc -mtriple=x86_64 -no-integrated-as -binutils-version=2.35 < %s | FileCheck %s --check-prefix=OLDGAS
+
+; RUN: llc -mtriple=x86_64 -data-sections=1 -unique-section-names=0 < %s | FileCheck %s --check-prefix=NOUNIQUE
+
+; CHECK:    .section .text.fa,"axR",@progbits{{$}}
+; OLDGAS-NOT: .section .text
+; NOUNIQUE: .section .text,"axR",@progbits,unique
+define dso_local void @fa() !retain !{} {
+entry:
+  ret void
+}
+
+;; Explicit section.
+; CHECK:    .section bbb,"axR",@progbits,unique,1
+; OLDGAS:   .section bbb,"ax",@progbits,unique,1
+; NOUNIQUE: .section bbb,"axR",@progbits,unique
+define dso_local void @fb() section "bbb" !retain !{} {
+entry:
+  ret void
+}
+
+; CHECK:    .section .data.a,"awR",@progbits{{$}}
+; OLDGAS:   .data{{$}}
+; NOUNIQUE: .section .data,"awR",@progbits,unique,3
+@a = global i32 2, !retain !{}
+
+; CHECK:    .section .bss.b,"awR",@nobits{{$}}
+; OLDGAS:   .bss{{$}}
+; NOUNIQUE: .section .bss,"awR",@nobits,unique,4
+@b = global i32 0, !retain !{}
+
+; CHECK:    .section .rodata.c,"aR",@progbits{{$}}
+; OLDGAS:   .section .rodata,"a",@progbits{{$}}
+; NOUNIQUE: .section .rodata,"aR",@progbits,unique,5
+@c = constant i32 3, !retain !{}
+
+;; Explicit section.
+; CHECK:    .section ddd,"awR",@progbits,unique,2
+; OLDGAS:   .section ddd,"aw",@progbits,unique,2
+; NOUNIQUE: .section ddd,"awR",@progbits,unique,6
+@d = global i32 1, section "ddd", !retain !{}
+
+;; Used together with !associated.
+; CHECK:    .section .data.e,"awoR",@progbits,c
+; OLDGAS:   .section .data.e,"awo",@progbits,c
+; NOUNIQUE: .section .data,"awoR",@progbits,c,unique,7
+@e = global i32 1, !associated !0, !retain !{}
+
+!0 = !{i32* @c}