diff --git a/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/help/help/topics/ImporterPlugin/importer.htm b/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/help/help/topics/ImporterPlugin/importer.htm
index 20f9a560bf..fb439d9c46 100644
--- a/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/help/help/topics/ImporterPlugin/importer.htm
+++ b/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/help/help/topics/ImporterPlugin/importer.htm
@@ -384,6 +384,16 @@
           the program is run. These sections will not be stored in a special address space called
           "other".</P>
         </BLOCKQUOTE>
+        
+        <H4>Max Zero-Segment Discard Size</H4>
+
+        <BLOCKQUOTE>
+          <P>When both section-headers and program-headers are present, this option controls the 
+          maximum byte-size of a non-section-based memory block which has a zero-fill which will
+          be discarded.  This is intended to allow section-alignment load sequences to be ignored
+          and discarded.  A value of "0" will disable all such discards.  The default value is 
+          255-bytes.</P>
+        </BLOCKQUOTE>
       </BLOCKQUOTE>
 
       <H3>Intel Hex Options<A name="Options_Intel_Hex"/></H3>
diff --git a/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/opinion/ElfLoaderOptionsFactory.java b/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/opinion/ElfLoaderOptionsFactory.java
index 0d8dd66d08..e93a3d15fd 100644
--- a/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/opinion/ElfLoaderOptionsFactory.java
+++ b/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/opinion/ElfLoaderOptionsFactory.java
@@ -47,6 +47,14 @@ public class ElfLoaderOptionsFactory {
 	public static final String INCLUDE_OTHER_BLOCKS = "Import Non-Loaded Data";// as OTHER overlay blocks
 	static final boolean INCLUDE_OTHER_BLOCKS_DEFAULT = true;
 
+	public static final String DISCARDABLE_SEGMENT_SIZE_OPTION_NAME =
+		"Max Zero-Segment Discard Size";
+
+	// Maximum length of discardable segment
+	// If program contains section headers, any zeroed segment smaller than this size
+	// will be eligible for removal.
+	private static final int DEFAULT_DISCARDABLE_SEGMENT_SIZE = 0xff;
+
 	private ElfLoaderOptionsFactory() {
 	}
 
@@ -82,6 +90,10 @@ public class ElfLoaderOptionsFactory {
 		options.add(new Option(INCLUDE_OTHER_BLOCKS, INCLUDE_OTHER_BLOCKS_DEFAULT, Boolean.class,
 			Loader.COMMAND_LINE_ARG_PREFIX + "-includeOtherBlocks"));
 
+		options.add(
+			new Option(DISCARDABLE_SEGMENT_SIZE_OPTION_NAME, DEFAULT_DISCARDABLE_SEGMENT_SIZE,
+				Integer.class, Loader.COMMAND_LINE_ARG_PREFIX + "-maxSegmentDiscardSize"));
+
 		ElfLoadAdapter extensionAdapter = ElfExtensionFactory.getLoadAdapter(elf);
 		if (extensionAdapter != null) {
 			extensionAdapter.addLoadOptions(elf, options);
@@ -166,10 +178,27 @@ public class ElfLoaderOptionsFactory {
 				}
 			}
 			else if (name.equals(IMAGE_BASE_OPTION_NAME)) {
-				return validateAddressSpaceOffsetOption(option, language.getDefaultSpace());
+				String err = validateAddressSpaceOffsetOption(option, language.getDefaultSpace());
+				if (err != null) {
+					return err;
+				}
 			}
 			else if (name.equals(IMAGE_DATA_IMAGE_BASE_OPTION_NAME)) {
-				return validateAddressSpaceOffsetOption(option, language.getDefaultDataSpace());
+				String err =
+					validateAddressSpaceOffsetOption(option, language.getDefaultDataSpace());
+				if (err != null) {
+					return err;
+				}
+			}
+			else if (name.equals(DISCARDABLE_SEGMENT_SIZE_OPTION_NAME)) {
+				if (!Integer.class.isAssignableFrom(option.getValueClass())) {
+					return "Invalid type for option: " + name + " - " + option.getValueClass();
+				}
+				int val = (Integer) option.getValue();
+				if (val < 0 || val > DEFAULT_DISCARDABLE_SEGMENT_SIZE) {
+					return "Option value out-of-range: " + name + " (0.." +
+						DEFAULT_DISCARDABLE_SEGMENT_SIZE + ")";
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		return null;
@@ -214,4 +243,9 @@ public class ElfLoaderOptionsFactory {
 		return OptionUtils.getOption(IMAGE_DATA_IMAGE_BASE_OPTION_NAME, options, (String) null);
 	}
 
+	public static int getMaxSegmentDiscardSize(List<Option> options) {
+		return OptionUtils.getOption(DISCARDABLE_SEGMENT_SIZE_OPTION_NAME, options,
+			DEFAULT_DISCARDABLE_SEGMENT_SIZE);
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/opinion/ElfProgramBuilder.java b/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/opinion/ElfProgramBuilder.java
index 0170ba57b0..d5bc9add71 100644
--- a/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/opinion/ElfProgramBuilder.java
+++ b/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/opinion/ElfProgramBuilder.java
@@ -70,11 +70,6 @@ class ElfProgramBuilder extends MemorySectionResolver implements ElfLoadHelper {
 	private static final String ELF_PROGRAM_HEADERS_BLOCK_NAME = "_elfProgramHeaders";
 	private static final String ELF_SECTION_HEADERS_BLOCK_NAME = "_elfSectionHeaders";
 
-	// Maximum length of discardable segment
-	// If program contains section headers, any zeroed segment smaller than this size
-	// will be eligible for removal.
-	private static final int DISCARDABLE_SEGMENT_SIZE = 0xff;
-
 	private List<Option> options;
 	private Long dataImageBase; // cached data image base option or null if not applicable
 	private MessageLog log;
@@ -326,7 +321,10 @@ class ElfProgramBuilder extends MemorySectionResolver implements ElfLoadHelper {
 		if (elf.getSectionHeaderCount() == 0 || elf.getProgramHeaderCount() == 0) {
 			return false; // only prune if both sections and program headers are present
 		}
-		if (length > DISCARDABLE_SEGMENT_SIZE || !blockName.startsWith(SEGMENT_NAME_PREFIX)) {
+
+		int maxSegmentDiscardSize = ElfLoaderOptionsFactory.getMaxSegmentDiscardSize(options);
+		if (maxSegmentDiscardSize <= 0 || length > maxSegmentDiscardSize ||
+			!blockName.startsWith(SEGMENT_NAME_PREFIX)) {
 			return false;
 		}
 
diff --git a/Ghidra/RuntimeScripts/Common/support/analyzeHeadlessREADME.html b/Ghidra/RuntimeScripts/Common/support/analyzeHeadlessREADME.html
index 2e01263c9f..cdccb25d4a 100644
--- a/Ghidra/RuntimeScripts/Common/support/analyzeHeadlessREADME.html
+++ b/Ghidra/RuntimeScripts/Common/support/analyzeHeadlessREADME.html
@@ -600,6 +600,7 @@ The Headless Analyzer uses the command-line parameters discussed below. See <a h
         <LI><typewriter>-loader-imagebase &lt;imagebase<sup>3</sup>&gt;</typewriter></LI>
         <LI><typewriter>-loader-dataImageBase &lt;dataImageBase<sup>4</sup>&gt;</typewriter></LI>
         <LI><typewriter>-loader-includeOtherBlocks &lt;true|false&gt;</typewriter></LI>
+        <LI><typewriter>-loader-maxSegmentDiscardSize &lt;0..255&gt; (default: 255)</typewriter></LI>
       </UL>
       <LI><typewriter>-loader PeLoader<typewriter></LI>
       <UL>