diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
index 22ea220d8f..4b531f310e 100644
--- a/.gitattributes
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 *.fsproj text merge=union
 *.dbproj text merge=union
 
+# Release notes are append-only unordered lists; union merge avoids conflicts
+# when multiple PRs each add an entry under the same heading.
+docs/release-notes/**/*.md text merge=union
+
 # Standard to msysgit
 *.doc	 diff=astextplain
 *.DOC	 diff=astextplain