diff --git a/api/krusty/legacy_order_test.go b/api/krusty/legacy_order_test.go
index 64662da1e40..6315fbc6155 100644
--- a/api/krusty/legacy_order_test.go
+++ b/api/krusty/legacy_order_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package krusty_test
 import (
 	"testing"
 
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/api/krusty"
 	kusttest_test "sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/api/testutils/kusttest"
 )
 
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ data:
   key: value
 `)
 	opts := th.MakeDefaultOptions()
-	opts.DoLegacyResourceSort = true
+	opts.Reorder = krusty.ReorderOptionLegacy
 	m := th.Run(".", opts)
 	th.AssertActualEqualsExpected(m, `
 apiVersion: v1
diff --git a/api/krusty/options.go b/api/krusty/options.go
index 438f6c10290..d6dcdd72b0e 100644
--- a/api/krusty/options.go
+++ b/api/krusty/options.go
@@ -8,6 +8,14 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/api/types"
 )
 
+type ReorderOption string
+
+const (
+	ReorderOptionLegacy      ReorderOption = "legacy"
+	ReorderOptionNone        ReorderOption = "none"
+	ReorderOptionUnspecified ReorderOption = "unspecified"
+)
+
 // Options holds high-level kustomize configuration options,
 // e.g. are plugins enabled, should the loader be restricted
 // to the kustomization root, etc.
@@ -16,7 +24,15 @@ type Options struct {
 	// per a particular sort order.  When false, don't do the
 	// sort, and instead respect the depth-first resource input
 	// order as specified by the kustomization file(s).
-	DoLegacyResourceSort bool
+
+	// Sort the resources before emitting them. Possible values:
+	// - "legacy": Use a fixed order that kustomize provides for backwards
+	//   compatibility.
+	// - "none": Respect the depth-first resource input order as specified by the
+	//   kustomization file.
+	// - "unspecified": The user didn't specify any preference. Kustomize will
+	//   select the appropriate default.
+	Reorder ReorderOption
 
 	// When true, a label
 	//     app.kubernetes.io/managed-by: kustomize-<version>
@@ -37,11 +53,11 @@ type Options struct {
 // MakeDefaultOptions returns a default instance of Options.
 func MakeDefaultOptions() *Options {
 	return &Options{
-		DoLegacyResourceSort: false,
-		AddManagedbyLabel:    false,
-		LoadRestrictions:     types.LoadRestrictionsRootOnly,
-		DoPrune:              false,
-		PluginConfig:         types.DisabledPluginConfig(),
+		Reorder:           ReorderOptionNone,
+		AddManagedbyLabel: false,
+		LoadRestrictions:  types.LoadRestrictionsRootOnly,
+		DoPrune:           false,
+		PluginConfig:      types.DisabledPluginConfig(),
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/kustomize/commands/build/build.go b/kustomize/commands/build/build.go
index a62b39f7bef..95d92cea625 100644
--- a/kustomize/commands/build/build.go
+++ b/kustomize/commands/build/build.go
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ func NewCmdBuild(
 	AddFlagEnablePlugins(cmd.Flags())
 	AddFlagReorderOutput(cmd.Flags())
 	AddFlagEnableManagedbyLabel(cmd.Flags())
+	cmd.Flags().MarkDeprecated(flagReorderOutputName,
+		"The flag `reorder` has been deprecated. Use the new 'sortOptions' field in kustomization.yaml instead.")
 	cmd.Flags().MarkDeprecated(managedByFlag,
 		"The flag `enable-managedby-label` has been deprecated. Use the `managedByLabel` option in the `buildMetadata` field instead.")
 	AddFlagEnableHelm(cmd.Flags())
@@ -131,7 +133,7 @@ func Validate(args []string) error {
 // HonorKustomizeFlags feeds command line data to the krusty options.
 // Flags and such are held in private package variables.
 func HonorKustomizeFlags(kOpts *krusty.Options) *krusty.Options {
-	kOpts.DoLegacyResourceSort = getFlagReorderOutput() == legacy
+	kOpts.Reorder = getFlagReorderOutput()
 	kOpts.LoadRestrictions = getFlagLoadRestrictorValue()
 	if theFlags.enable.plugins {
 		c := types.EnabledPluginConfig(types.BploUseStaticallyLinked)