diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 5fd8007..ffd6e2b 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -231,6 +231,14 @@ The merging strategy can be set by including a dict in the form of:
 
     __: <merging strategy>
 
+If you want to use a different default merging strategy, you can do so in your
+salt master config:
+
+.. code:: yaml
+
+    pillarstack:
+        default_strategy: merge-first
+
 as the first item of the dict or list.
 This allows fine grained control over the merging process.
 
diff --git a/stack.py b/stack.py
index 314e002..72ad821 100644
--- a/stack.py
+++ b/stack.py
@@ -36,12 +36,13 @@ def ext_pillar(minion_id, pillar, *args, **kwargs):
         if not isinstance(cfgs, list):
             cfgs = [cfgs]
         stack_config_files += cfgs
-    for cfg in stack_config_files:
-        if not os.path.isfile(cfg):
+    for cfg_path in stack_config_files:
+        if not os.path.isfile(cfg_path):
             log.info(
-                'Ignoring pillar stack cfg "%s": file does not exist', cfg)
+                'Ignoring pillar stack cfg "%s": file does not exist', cfg_path)
             continue
-        stack = _process_stack_cfg(cfg, stack, minion_id, pillar)
+        default_strategy = __opts__.get("pillarstack", {}).get("default_strategy", "merge-last")
+        stack = _process_stack_cfg(cfg_path, stack, minion_id, pillar, default_strategy)
     return stack
 
 
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ def _to_unix_slashes(path):
     return posixpath.join(*path.split(os.sep))
 
 
-def _process_stack_cfg(cfg, stack, minion_id, pillar):
+def _process_stack_cfg(cfg, stack, minion_id, pillar, default_strategy):
     log.debug('Config: %s', cfg)
     basedir, filename = os.path.split(cfg)
     jenv = Environment(loader=FileSystemLoader(basedir), extensions=['jinja2.ext.do', salt.utils.jinja.SerializerExtension])
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ def _process_stack_cfg(cfg, stack, minion_id, pillar):
                 log.info('Ignoring pillar stack template "%s": Can\'t parse '
                          'as a valid yaml dictionary', path)
                 continue
-            stack = _merge_dict(stack, obj)
+            stack = _merge_dict(stack, obj, default_strategy)
     return stack
 
 
@@ -101,8 +102,8 @@ def _cleanup(obj):
     return obj
 
 
-def _merge_dict(stack, obj):
-    strategy = obj.pop('__', 'merge-last')
+def _merge_dict(stack, obj, default_strategy="merge-last"):
+    strategy = obj.pop('__', default_strategy)
     if strategy not in strategies:
         raise Exception('Unknown strategy "{0}", should be one of {1}'.format(
             strategy, strategies))
@@ -120,13 +121,16 @@ def _merge_dict(stack, obj):
                     stack_k = stack[k]
                     stack[k] = _cleanup(v)
                     v = stack_k
+                    # Stop it getting double inverted later on.
+                    if default_strategy == "merge-first":
+                        default_strategy = "merge-last"
                 if type(stack[k]) != type(v):
                     log.debug('Force overwrite, types differ: \'%s\' != \'%s\'', stack[k], v)
                     stack[k] = _cleanup(v)
                 elif isinstance(v, dict):
-                    stack[k] = _merge_dict(stack[k], v)
+                    stack[k] = _merge_dict(stack[k], v, default_strategy)
                 elif isinstance(v, list):
-                    stack[k] = _merge_list(stack[k], v)
+                    stack[k] = _merge_list(stack[k], v, default_strategy)
                 else:
                     stack[k] = v
             else:
@@ -134,8 +138,8 @@ def _merge_dict(stack, obj):
         return stack
 
 
-def _merge_list(stack, obj):
-    strategy = 'merge-last'
+def _merge_list(stack, obj, default_strategy="merge-last"):
+    strategy = default_strategy
     if obj and isinstance(obj[0], dict) and '__' in obj[0]:
         strategy = obj[0]['__']
         del obj[0]
diff --git a/test_stack.py b/test_stack.py
index d2d5368..fbe7626 100644
--- a/test_stack.py
+++ b/test_stack.py
@@ -39,6 +39,85 @@ def test_merge(self):
                             'INSTEAD OF =>', after_yml,
                             ]))
 
+    def test_merge_first_explicit_top_level(self):
+        # This checks __ behaviour.
+        cur_stack = {
+            "flat": "First value",
+            "nested": {
+                "val": "First value nested",
+                "nested_again": {
+                    "val": 123
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        obj = {
+            "__": "merge-first",
+            "flat": "Shouldn't overwrite",
+            "flat_newval": "OK",
+            "nested": {
+                "val": "Shouldn't overwrite",
+                "newval": "OK",
+                "nested_again": {
+                    "val": 456,
+                    "newval": 678
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        expected = {
+            "flat": "First value",
+            "flat_newval": "OK",
+            "nested": {
+                "val": "First value nested",
+                "newval": "OK",
+                "nested_again": {
+                    "val": 123,
+                    "newval": 678
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        new_stack = stack._merge_dict(cur_stack, obj)
+        self.assertDictEqual(new_stack, expected)
+
+    def test_merge_first_with_default(self):
+        # This makes sure that we get the same effect as
+        # test_merge_first_explicit_top_level, but using
+        # default_strategy instead.
+        cur_stack = {
+            "flat": "First value",
+            "nested": {
+                "val": "First value nested",
+                "nested_again": {
+                    "val": 123
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        obj = {
+            "flat": "Shouldn't overwrite",
+            "flat_newval": "OK",
+            "nested": {
+                "val": "Shouldn't overwrite",
+                "newval": "OK",
+                "nested_again": {
+                    "val": 456,
+                    "newval": 678
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        expected = {
+            "flat": "First value",
+            "flat_newval": "OK",
+            "nested": {
+                "val": "First value nested",
+                "newval": "OK",
+                "nested_again": {
+                    "val": 123,
+                    "newval": 678
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        new_stack = stack._merge_dict(cur_stack, obj, default_strategy="merge-first")
+        self.assertDictEqual(new_stack, expected)
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()