diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/72944-include_vars-add-hash_behaviour-option.yml b/changelogs/fragments/72944-include_vars-add-hash_behaviour-option.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8d00487434b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/72944-include_vars-add-hash_behaviour-option.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - include_vars - add ``hash_behaviour`` option (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/72944).
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/include_vars.py b/lib/ansible/modules/include_vars.py
index 019d74680af..b1df96413c7 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/include_vars.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/include_vars.py
@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@ options:
     type: bool
     default: no
     version_added: "2.7"
+  hash_behaviour:
+    description:
+      - If set to C(merge), merges existing hash variables instead of overwriting them.
+      - If omitted C(null), the behavior falls back to the global I(hash_behaviour) configuration.
+    default: null
+    type: str
+    choices: ["replace", "merge"]
+    version_added: "2.12"
   free-form:
     description:
       - This module allows you to specify the 'file' option directly without any other options.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/include_vars.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/include_vars.py
index 07234537ac8..aec0f004437 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/include_vars.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/include_vars.py
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 from os import path, walk
 import re
 
+import ansible.constants as C
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleError
 from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native, to_text
 from ansible.plugins.action import ActionBase
+from ansible.utils.vars import combine_vars
 
 
 class ActionModule(ActionBase):
@@ -20,7 +22,7 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
     VALID_FILE_EXTENSIONS = ['yaml', 'yml', 'json']
     VALID_DIR_ARGUMENTS = ['dir', 'depth', 'files_matching', 'ignore_files', 'extensions', 'ignore_unknown_extensions']
     VALID_FILE_ARGUMENTS = ['file', '_raw_params']
-    VALID_ALL = ['name']
+    VALID_ALL = ['name', 'hash_behaviour']
 
     def _set_dir_defaults(self):
         if not self.depth:
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
     def _set_args(self):
         """ Set instance variables based on the arguments that were passed """
 
+        self.hash_behaviour = self._task.args.get('hash_behaviour', None)
         self.return_results_as_name = self._task.args.get('name', None)
         self.source_dir = self._task.args.get('dir', None)
         self.source_file = self._task.args.get('file', None)
@@ -135,6 +138,11 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
         if failed:
             result['failed'] = failed
             result['message'] = err_msg
+        elif self.hash_behaviour is not None and self.hash_behaviour != C.DEFAULT_HASH_BEHAVIOUR:
+            merge_hashes = self.hash_behaviour == 'merge'
+            for key, value in results.items():
+                old_value = task_vars.get(key, None)
+                results[key] = combine_vars(old_value, value, merge=merge_hashes)
 
         result['ansible_included_var_files'] = self.included_files
         result['ansible_facts'] = results
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/vars.py b/lib/ansible/utils/vars.py
index 17ef2df9de8..7545f1d4358 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/vars.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/vars.py
@@ -79,12 +79,12 @@ def _validate_mutable_mappings(a, b):
         )
 
 
-def combine_vars(a, b):
+def combine_vars(a, b, merge=None):
     """
     Return a copy of dictionaries of variables based on configured hash behavior
     """
 
-    if C.DEFAULT_HASH_BEHAVIOUR == "merge":
+    if merge or merge is None and C.DEFAULT_HASH_BEHAVIOUR == "merge":
         return merge_hash(a, b)
     else:
         # HASH_BEHAVIOUR == 'replace'
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/include_vars/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/include_vars/tasks/main.yml
index 79f03d6e76b..db15ba3c5db 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/include_vars/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/include_vars/tasks/main.yml
@@ -166,6 +166,48 @@
       - "'my_custom_service' == service_name_fqcn"
       - "'my_custom_service' == service_name_tmpl_fqcn"
 
+- name: Include a vars file with a hash variable
+  include_vars:
+    file: vars2/hashes/hash1.yml
+
+- name: Verify the hash variable
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "{{ config | length }} == 3"
+      - "config.key0 == 0"
+      - "config.key1 == 0"
+      - "{{ config.key2 | length }} == 1"
+      - "config.key2.a == 21"
+
+- name: Include the second file to merge the hash variable
+  include_vars:
+    file: vars2/hashes/hash2.yml
+    hash_behaviour: merge
+
+- name: Verify that the hash is merged
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "{{ config | length }} == 4"
+      - "config.key0 == 0"
+      - "config.key1 == 1"
+      - "{{ config.key2 | length }} == 2"
+      - "config.key2.a == 21"
+      - "config.key2.b == 22"
+      - "config.key3 == 3"
+
+- name: Include the second file again without hash_behaviour option
+  include_vars:
+    file: vars2/hashes/hash2.yml
+
+- name: Verify that the properties from the first file is cleared
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "{{ config | length }} == 3"
+      - "config.key1 == 1"
+      - "{{ config.key2 | length }} == 1"
+      - "config.key2.b == 22"
+      - "config.key3 == 3"
+
 - include_vars:
     file: no_auto_unsafe.yml
   register: baz
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/include_vars/vars2/hashes/hash1.yml b/test/integration/targets/include_vars/vars2/hashes/hash1.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b0706f8f70f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/include_vars/vars2/hashes/hash1.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+config:
+  key0: 0
+  key1: 0
+  key2: { a: 21 }
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/include_vars/vars2/hashes/hash2.yml b/test/integration/targets/include_vars/vars2/hashes/hash2.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1f2a9636626
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/include_vars/vars2/hashes/hash2.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+config:
+  key1: 1
+  key2: { b: 22 }
+  key3: 3