diff --git a/lib/tests/modules.sh b/lib/tests/modules.sh
index eadaa0521b3..cf344122cf4 100755
--- a/lib/tests/modules.sh
+++ b/lib/tests/modules.sh
@@ -71,6 +71,15 @@ checkConfigError 'The option value .* in .* is not of type.*positive integer.*'
 checkConfigOutput "42" config.value ./declare-int-between-value.nix ./define-value-int-positive.nix
 checkConfigError 'The option value .* in .* is not of type.*between.*-21 and 43.*inclusive.*' config.value ./declare-int-between-value.nix ./define-value-int-negative.nix
 
+# Check either types
+# types.either
+checkConfigOutput "42" config.value ./declare-either.nix ./define-value-int-positive.nix
+checkConfigOutput "\"24\"" config.value ./declare-either.nix ./define-value-string.nix
+# types.oneOf
+checkConfigOutput "42" config.value ./declare-oneOf.nix ./define-value-int-positive.nix
+checkConfigOutput "[ ]" config.value ./declare-oneOf.nix ./define-value-list.nix
+checkConfigOutput "\"24\"" config.value ./declare-oneOf.nix ./define-value-string.nix
+
 # Check mkForce without submodules.
 set -- config.enable ./declare-enable.nix ./define-enable.nix
 checkConfigOutput "true" "$@"
diff --git a/lib/tests/modules/declare-either.nix b/lib/tests/modules/declare-either.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5a0fa978a13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/tests/modules/declare-either.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{ lib, ... }: {
+  options.value = lib.mkOption {
+    type = lib.types.either lib.types.int lib.types.str;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/lib/tests/modules/declare-oneOf.nix b/lib/tests/modules/declare-oneOf.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..df092a14f81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/tests/modules/declare-oneOf.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{ lib, ... }: {
+  options.value = lib.mkOption {
+    type = lib.types.oneOf [
+      lib.types.int
+      (lib.types.listOf lib.types.int)
+      lib.types.str
+    ];
+  };
+}
diff --git a/lib/types.nix b/lib/types.nix
index b225119299d..5612e999177 100644
--- a/lib/types.nix
+++ b/lib/types.nix
@@ -443,6 +443,13 @@ rec {
       functor = (defaultFunctor name) // { wrapped = [ t1 t2 ]; };
     };
 
+    # Any of the types in the given list
+    oneOf = ts:
+      let
+        head' = if ts == [] then throw "types.oneOf needs to get at least one type in its argument" else head ts;
+        tail' = tail ts;
+      in foldl' either head' tail';
+
     # Either value of type `finalType` or `coercedType`, the latter is
     # converted to `finalType` using `coerceFunc`.
     coercedTo = coercedType: coerceFunc: finalType:
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.xml
index 069cc36573d..8fcbb627342 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.xml
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/development/option-types.xml
@@ -346,6 +346,18 @@
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
+   <varlistentry>
+    <term>
+     <varname>types.oneOf</varname> [ <replaceable>t1</replaceable> <replaceable>t2</replaceable> ... ]
+    </term>
+    <listitem>
+     <para>
+      Type <replaceable>t1</replaceable> or type <replaceable>t2</replaceable> and so forth,
+      e.g. <literal>with types; oneOf [ int str bool ]</literal>. Multiple definitions
+      cannot be merged.
+     </para>
+    </listitem>
+   </varlistentry>
    <varlistentry>
     <term>
      <varname>types.coercedTo</varname> <replaceable>from</replaceable> <replaceable>f</replaceable> <replaceable>to</replaceable>