diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 153a393cd2a..292fb41c2e1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ However, if you are a package developer, or if you have published Blade views or
 - Moved `Hyde\Framework\Models\MarkdownPost` to new namespace `Hyde\Framework\Models\Pages\MarkdownPost`
 - Moved `Hyde\Framework\Models\DocumentationPage` to new namespace `Hyde\Framework\Models\Pages\DocumentationPage`
 - Improves how the site output directory is emptied, helping prevent accidental deletion of files https://github.com/hydephp/develop/pull/135
+- The emptying of the site output directory can now be disabled by setting the new config option `hyde.empty_output_directory` to false https://github.com/hydephp/develop/pull/136
 
 ### Deprecated
 - Deprecated Hyde::titleFromSlug(), use Hyde::makeTitle() instead
diff --git a/packages/framework/src/Commands/HydeBuildStaticSiteCommand.php b/packages/framework/src/Commands/HydeBuildStaticSiteCommand.php
index 5c21fc35c3e..2031a987a2e 100644
--- a/packages/framework/src/Commands/HydeBuildStaticSiteCommand.php
+++ b/packages/framework/src/Commands/HydeBuildStaticSiteCommand.php
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public function handle(): int
 
         $this->runPreBuildActions();
 
-        $this->purge();
+        $this->cleanOutputDirectory();
 
         $this->transferMediaAssets();
 
@@ -171,18 +171,20 @@ protected function printFinishMessage(float $time_start): void
      *
      * @return void
      */
-    public function purge(): void
+    public function cleanOutputDirectory(): void
     {
-        $this->warn('Removing all files from build directory.');
-        if (! in_array(basename(Hyde::getSiteOutputPath()), config('hyde.safe_output_directories', ['_site', 'docs', 'build']))) {
-            if (! $this->confirm('The configured output directory ('.Hyde::getSiteOutputPath().') is potentially unsafe to empty. Are you sure you want to continue?')) {
-                $this->info('Output directory will not be emptied.');
-
-                return;
+        if (config('hyde.empty_output_directory', true)) {
+            $this->warn('Removing all files from build directory.');
+            if (! in_array(basename(Hyde::getSiteOutputPath()), config('hyde.safe_output_directories', ['_site', 'docs', 'build']))) {
+                if (! $this->confirm('The configured output directory ('.Hyde::getSiteOutputPath().') is potentially unsafe to empty. Are you sure you want to continue?')) {
+                    $this->info('Output directory will not be emptied.');
+
+                    return;
+                }
             }
+            array_map('unlink', glob(Hyde::getSiteOutputPath('*.{html,json}'), GLOB_BRACE));
+            File::cleanDirectory(Hyde::getSiteOutputPath('media'));
         }
-        array_map('unlink', glob(Hyde::getSiteOutputPath('*.{html,json}'), GLOB_BRACE));
-        File::cleanDirectory(Hyde::getSiteOutputPath('media'));
     }
 
     /** @internal */
diff --git a/packages/framework/tests/Feature/Commands/BuildStaticSiteCommandTest.php b/packages/framework/tests/Feature/Commands/BuildStaticSiteCommandTest.php
index 5d75bce3dd5..05d78c74577 100644
--- a/packages/framework/tests/Feature/Commands/BuildStaticSiteCommandTest.php
+++ b/packages/framework/tests/Feature/Commands/BuildStaticSiteCommandTest.php
@@ -67,15 +67,6 @@ public function test_print_initial_information_allows_api_to_be_disabled()
             ->assertExitCode(0);
     }
 
-    public function test_site_directory_is_emptied_before_build()
-    {
-        touch(Hyde::path('_site/foo.html'));
-        $this->artisan('build')
-            ->expectsOutput('Removing all files from build directory.')
-            ->assertExitCode(0);
-        $this->assertFileDoesNotExist(Hyde::path('_site/foo.html'));
-    }
-
     public function test_node_action_outputs()
     {
         $this->artisan('build --run-prettier --run-dev --run-prod')
@@ -155,6 +146,28 @@ public function test_generates_search_files_when_conditions_are_met()
             ->assertExitCode(0);
     }
 
+    public function test_site_directory_is_emptied_before_build()
+    {
+        touch(Hyde::path('_site/foo.html'));
+        $this->artisan('build')
+            ->expectsOutput('Removing all files from build directory.')
+            ->assertExitCode(0);
+        $this->assertFileDoesNotExist(Hyde::path('_site/foo.html'));
+    }
+
+    public function test_output_directory_is_not_emptied_if_disabled_in_config()
+    {
+        config(['hyde.empty_output_directory' => false]);
+        touch(Hyde::path('_site/keep.html'));
+
+        $this->artisan('build')
+            ->doesntExpectOutput('Removing all files from build directory.')
+            ->assertExitCode(0);
+
+        $this->assertFileExists(Hyde::path('_site/keep.html'));
+        unlink(Hyde::path('_site/keep.html'));
+    }
+
     public function test_aborts_when_non_standard_directory_is_emptied()
     {
         StaticPageBuilder::$outputPath = 'foo';