diff --git a/src/main/python/hbase/merge_conf.py b/src/main/python/hbase/merge_conf.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..c1ae827a878
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/python/hbase/merge_conf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+'''
+Merges Hadoop/HBase configuration files in the given order, so that options
+specified in later configuration files override those specified in earlier
+files.
+'''
+
+import os
+import re
+import sys
+import textwrap
+
+from optparse import OptionParser
+from xml.dom.minidom import parse, getDOMImplementation
+
+
+class MergeConfTool:
+    '''
+    Merges the given set of Hadoop/HBase configuration files, with later files
+    overriding earlier ones.
+    '''
+
+    INDENT = ' ' * 2
+
+    # Description text is inside configuration, property, and description tags.
+    DESC_INDENT = INDENT * 3
+
+    def main(self):
+        '''The main entry point for the configuration merge tool.'''
+        self.parse_options()
+        self.merge()
+
+    def parse_options(self):
+        '''Parses command-line options.'''
+        parser = OptionParser(usage='%prog <input_conf_files> -o <output_file>')
+        parser.add_option('-o', '--output_file',
+            help='Destination configuration file')
+        opts, input_files = parser.parse_args()
+        if not opts.output_file:
+            self.fatal('--output_file is not specified')
+        if not input_files:
+            self.fatal('No input files specified')
+        for f_path in input_files:
+            if not os.path.isfile(f_path):
+                self.fatal('Input file %s does not exist' % f_path)
+        self.input_files = input_files
+        self.output_file = opts.output_file
+
+    def merge(self):
+        '''Merges input configuration files into the output file.'''
+        values = {}        # Conf key to values
+        source_files = {}  # Conf key to the file name where the value came from
+        descriptions = {}  # Conf key to description (optional)
+
+        # Read input files in the given order and update configuration maps
+        for f_path in self.input_files:
+            self.current_file = f_path
+            f_basename = os.path.basename(f_path)
+            f_dom = parse(f_path)
+            for property in f_dom.getElementsByTagName('property'):
+                self.current_property = property
+                name = self.element_text('name')
+                value = self.element_text('value')
+                values[name] = value
+                source_files[name] = f_basename
+
+                if property.getElementsByTagName('description'):
+                    descriptions[name] = self.element_text('description')
+
+        # Create the output configuration file
+        dom_impl = getDOMImplementation()
+        self.merged_conf = dom_impl.createDocument(None, 'configuration', None)
+        for k in sorted(values.keys()):
+            new_property = self.merged_conf.createElement('property')
+            c = self.merged_conf.createComment('from ' + source_files[k])
+            new_property.appendChild(c)
+            self.append_text_child(new_property, 'name', k)
+            self.append_text_child(new_property, 'value', values[k])
+
+            description = descriptions.get(k, None)
+            if description:
+                description = ' '.join(description.strip().split())
+                textwrap_kwargs = {}
+                if sys.version_info >= (2, 6):
+                    textwrap_kwargs = dict(break_on_hyphens=False)
+                description = ('\n' + self.DESC_INDENT).join(
+                    textwrap.wrap(description, 80 - len(self.DESC_INDENT),
+                        break_long_words=False, **textwrap_kwargs))
+                self.append_text_child(new_property, 'description', description)
+            self.merged_conf.documentElement.appendChild(new_property)
+
+        pretty_conf = self.merged_conf.toprettyxml(indent=self.INDENT)
+
+        # Remove space before and after names and values. This way we don't have
+        # to worry about leading and trailing whitespace creeping in.
+        pretty_conf = re.sub(r'(?<=<name>)\s*', '', pretty_conf)
+        pretty_conf = re.sub(r'(?<=<value>)\s*', '', pretty_conf)
+        pretty_conf = re.sub(r'\s*(?=</name>)', '', pretty_conf)
+        pretty_conf = re.sub(r'\s*(?=</value>)', '', pretty_conf)
+
+        out_f = open(self.output_file, 'w')
+        try:
+            out_f.write(pretty_conf)
+        finally:
+            out_f.close()
+
+    def element_text(self, tag_name):
+        return self.whole_text(self.only_element(tag_name))
+
+    def fatal(self, msg):
+        print >> sys.stderr, msg
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    def only_element(self, tag_name):
+        l = self.current_property.getElementsByTagName(tag_name)
+        if len(l) != 1:
+            self.fatal('Invalid property in %s, only one '
+                '"%s" element expected: %s' % (self.current_file, tag_name,
+                    self.current_property.toxml()))
+        return l[0]
+
+    def whole_text(self, element):
+        if len(element.childNodes) > 1:
+            self.fatal('No more than one child expected in %s: %s' % (
+                self.current_file, element.toxml()))
+        if len(element.childNodes) == 1:
+            return element.childNodes[0].wholeText.strip()
+        return ''
+
+    def append_text_child(self, property_element, tag_name, value):
+        element = self.merged_conf.createElement(tag_name)
+        element.appendChild(self.merged_conf.createTextNode(value))
+        property_element.appendChild(element)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    MergeConfTool().main()
+