diff --git a/src/core/watchQueryOptions.ts b/src/core/watchQueryOptions.ts
index 934ab26f62a..c4ddaa47dfc 100644
--- a/src/core/watchQueryOptions.ts
+++ b/src/core/watchQueryOptions.ts
@@ -110,6 +110,11 @@ export interface ModifiableWatchQueryOptions<TVariables = OperationVariables>
    * Apollo Client `QueryManager` (due to a cache miss).
    */
   partialRefetch?: boolean;
+
+  /**
+   * If set to `true`, the result data will be discarded while the `refetch` query is in flight.
+   */
+  clearPreviousDataOnLoad?: boolean;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/react/data/QueryData.ts b/src/react/data/QueryData.ts
index 673e5df55bf..21287910e95 100644
--- a/src/react/data/QueryData.ts
+++ b/src/react/data/QueryData.ts
@@ -420,7 +420,11 @@ export class QueryData<TData, TVariables> extends OperationData {
     this.setOptions(options, true);
     this.previousData.loading =
       this.previousData.result && this.previousData.result.loading || false;
-    return this.previousData.result = result;
+    this.previousData.result = result;
+    if (result.loading && options.clearPreviousDataOnLoad) {
+      result.data = undefined;
+    }
+    return result;
   }
 
   private handleErrorOrCompleted({
diff --git a/src/react/hooks/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx b/src/react/hooks/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx
index a439d7aef7b..b7afeee66ea 100644
--- a/src/react/hooks/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx
+++ b/src/react/hooks/__tests__/useQuery.test.tsx
@@ -1116,6 +1116,123 @@ describe('useQuery Hook', () => {
         expect(renderCount).toBe(6);
       });
     });
+
+    it('should properly handle clearPreviousDataOnLoad', async () => {
+      const carQuery: DocumentNode = gql`
+        query cars($id: Int) {
+          cars(id: $id) {
+            id
+            make
+            model
+            vin
+            __typename
+          }
+        }
+      `;
+
+      const carData1 = {
+        cars: [
+          {
+            id: 1,
+            make: 'Audi',
+            model: 'RS8',
+            vin: 'DOLLADOLLABILL',
+            __typename: 'Car'
+          }
+        ]
+      };
+
+      const carData2 = {
+        cars: [
+          {
+            id: 2,
+            make: 'Audi',
+            model: 'eTron',
+            vin: 'TREESRGOOD',
+            __typename: 'Car'
+          }
+        ]
+      };
+
+      const carData3 = {
+        cars: [
+          {
+            id: 3,
+            make: 'BMW',
+            model: '335xi',
+            vin: 'SUPERFAST',
+            __typename: 'Car'
+          }
+        ]
+      };
+
+      const mocks = [
+        {
+          request: { query: carQuery, variables: { id: 1 } },
+          result: { data: carData1 }
+        },
+        {
+          request: { query: carQuery, variables: { id: 2 } },
+          result: { data: carData2 }
+        },
+        {
+          request: { query: carQuery, variables: { id: 3 } },
+          result: { data: carData3 }
+        }
+      ];
+
+      let renderCount = 0;
+      function App() {
+        const { loading, data, refetch } = useQuery(carQuery, {
+          variables: {
+            id: 1
+          },
+          clearPreviousDataOnLoad: true
+        });
+
+        switch (renderCount) {
+          case 0:
+            expect(loading).toBeTruthy();
+            break;
+          case 1:
+            expect(loading).toBeFalsy();
+            expect(data).toEqual(carData1);
+            refetch({ id: 2 });
+            break;
+          case 2:
+            expect(loading).toBeTruthy();
+            expect(data).not.toBeDefined();
+            break;
+          case 3:
+            expect(loading).toBeFalsy();
+            expect(data).toEqual(carData2);
+            refetch({ id: 3 });
+            break;
+          case 4:
+            expect(loading).toBeTruthy();
+            expect(data).not.toBeDefined();
+            break;
+          case 5:
+            expect(loading).toBeFalsy();
+            expect(data).toEqual(carData3);
+            break;
+          default:
+        }
+
+        renderCount += 1;
+        return null;
+      }
+
+      render(
+          <MockedProvider mocks={mocks}>
+            <App />
+          </MockedProvider>
+      );
+
+      return wait(() => {
+        expect(renderCount).toBe(6);
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('Partial refetching', () => {
diff --git a/src/react/types/types.ts b/src/react/types/types.ts
index e8e3eacab40..945ccc70209 100644
--- a/src/react/types/types.ts
+++ b/src/react/types/types.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ export interface BaseQueryOptions<TVariables = OperationVariables> {
   context?: Context;
   partialRefetch?: boolean;
   returnPartialData?: boolean;
+  clearPreviousDataOnLoad?: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface QueryFunctionOptions<