diff --git a/meta/conf/fragments/yocto/root-login-with-empty-password.conf b/meta/conf/fragments/yocto/root-login-with-empty-password.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..86aec0e152
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta/conf/fragments/yocto/root-login-with-empty-password.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+BB_CONF_FRAGMENT_SUMMARY = "Log in as root without password on serial console and over ssh (use with caution)."
+BB_CONF_FRAGMENT_DESCRIPTION = "By default images are built such that root login is disabled \
+(which is the preferred, secure default). However, for testing and development purposes it can \
+be beneficial to be able to log in as root, both on serial console and over ssh connections, \
+which is what this fragment enables. Use with great caution, and ideally only in tightly \
+controlled local builds and CI testing environments, and never in artefacts that are deployed \
+into products. \
+"
+
+EXTRA_IMAGE_FEATURES += "allow-empty-password empty-root-password allow-root-login"