diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index 1e6756e431e..f3c12ffaf34 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -511,9 +511,9 @@ terminal.
 ---
 *** After deleting, 'delete-frame' now selects the most recently used frame.
 Previously, after deleting a specified frame, 'delete-frame' would
-select the next eligible frame in the order of the frame list.  This is
-often unrelated to frames' recent use and can appear somewhat random to
-users.
+select the oldest visible frame on the same terminal.  To revert to the
+old behavior, set the new user option
+'after-delete-frame-select-mru-frame' to nil.
 
 +++
 *** New value 'force' for user option 'frame-inhibit-implied-resize'.
diff --git a/src/frame.c b/src/frame.c
index 6b5d8942db4..8844e869b18 100644
--- a/src/frame.c
+++ b/src/frame.c
@@ -2749,7 +2749,9 @@ delete_frame (Lisp_Object frame, Lisp_Object force)
       else
 	{
 	  frame1 = Qnil;
-	  if (!EQ (force, Qnoelisp))
+
+	  if (after_delete_frame_select_mru_frame
+	      && !EQ (force, Qnoelisp))
 	    {
 	      /* Find the most recently used visible frame among all
 		 frames on the same terminal as FRAME, excluding FRAME
@@ -7778,6 +7780,13 @@ The default is \\+`inhibit' in NS builds and nil everywhere else.  */);
   alter_fullscreen_frames = Qnil;
 #endif
 
+  DEFVAR_BOOL ("after-delete-frame-select-mru-frame",
+	       after_delete_frame_select_mru_frame,
+	       doc: /* Non-nil means `delete-frame' selects most recently used frame.
+If this is nil, `delete-frame' will select the oldest visible frame on
+the same terminal.  */);
+  after_delete_frame_select_mru_frame = true;
+
   defsubr (&Sframe_id);
   defsubr (&Sframep);
   defsubr (&Sframe_live_p);