diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 631f980144b1..2e183aa6a64c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 - Update Indonesian localized UI text strings. [#2731](https://github.com/mmistakes/minimal-mistakes/pull/2731)
 - Update remote theme documentation. [#2734](https://github.com/mmistakes/minimal-mistakes/pull/2734)
 - Update allejo/jekyll-toc to v1.1.0, skip headings without an ID. [#2752](https://github.com/mmistakes/minimal-mistakes/pull/2752)
+- Allow custom gradient for page header overlay. [#2806](https://github.com/mmistakes/minimal-mistakes/pull/2806)
 
 ## [4.21.0](https://github.com/mmistakes/minimal-mistakes/releases/tag/4.21.0)
 
diff --git a/_includes/page__hero.html b/_includes/page__hero.html
index 3f55aaa60ac5..dd1c26fbf1fc 100644
--- a/_includes/page__hero.html
+++ b/_includes/page__hero.html
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 {% capture overlay_img_path %}{{ page.header.overlay_image | relative_url }}{% endcapture %}
 
-{% if page.header.overlay_filter contains "rgba" %}
+{% if page.header.overlay_filter contains "gradient" %}
   {% capture overlay_filter %}{{ page.header.overlay_filter }}{% endcapture %}
+{% elsif page.header.overlay_filter contains "rgba" %}
+  {% capture overlay_filter %}{{ page.header.overlay_filter }}{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture overlay_filter %}linear-gradient({{ overlay_filter }}, {{ overlay_filter }}){% endcapture %}
 {% elsif page.header.overlay_filter %}
   {% capture overlay_filter %}rgba(0, 0, 0, {{ page.header.overlay_filter }}){% endcapture %}
+  {% capture overlay_filter %}linear-gradient({{ overlay_filter }}, {{ overlay_filter }}){% endcapture %}
 {% endif %}
 
 {% if page.header.image_description %}
@@ -15,7 +19,7 @@
 {% assign image_description = image_description | markdownify | strip_html | strip_newlines | escape_once %}
 
 <div class="page__hero{% if page.header.overlay_color or page.header.overlay_image %}--overlay{% endif %}"
-  style="{% if page.header.overlay_color %}background-color: {{ page.header.overlay_color | default: 'transparent' }};{% endif %} {% if overlay_img_path %}background-image: {% if overlay_filter %}linear-gradient({{ overlay_filter }}, {{ overlay_filter }}), {% endif %}url('{{ overlay_img_path }}');{% endif %}"
+  style="{% if page.header.overlay_color %}background-color: {{ page.header.overlay_color | default: 'transparent' }};{% endif %} {% if overlay_img_path %}background-image: {% if overlay_filter %}{{ overlay_filter }}, {% endif %}url('{{ overlay_img_path }}');{% endif %}"
 >
   {% if page.header.overlay_color or page.header.overlay_image %}
     <div class="wrapper">
diff --git a/docs/_docs/10-layouts.md b/docs/_docs/10-layouts.md
index 22f72fd3bc94..50b13df13bc6 100644
--- a/docs/_docs/10-layouts.md
+++ b/docs/_docs/10-layouts.md
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ To overlay text on top of a header image you have a few more options:
 | Name                     | Description | Default |
 | ----                     | ----------- | ------- |
 | **overlay_image**        | Header image you'd like to overlay. Same rules as `header.image` from above. | |
-| **overlay_filter**       | Color/opacity to overlay on top of the header image eg: `0.5` or `rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5)`. |
+| **overlay_filter**       | Color/opacity to overlay on top of the header image. Example: `0.5`, `rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5)` or [`linear-gradient`][mdn-linear-gradient]. |
 | **show_overlay_excerpt** | Display excerpt in the overlay text | true |
 | **excerpt**              | Auto-generated page excerpt is added to the overlay text or can be overridden. | |
 | **tagline**              | Overrides page excerpt. Useful when header text needs to be different from excerpt in archive views. | |
@@ -436,6 +436,8 @@ To overlay text on top of a header image you have a few more options:
 | **cta_label**            | Deprecated, use `actions` instead. Call to action button text label. | `more_label` in UI Text data file |
 | **cta_url**              | Deprecated, use `actions` instead. Call to action button URL. | |
 
+  [mdn-linear-gradient]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/linear-gradient()
+
 With this YAML Front Matter:
 
 ```yaml
@@ -477,7 +479,7 @@ header:
       url: "https://github.com"
 ```
 
-Or if you want to do more fancy things, go full rgba:
+Or if you feel colorful, use full rgba:
 
 ![transparent red overlay]({{ "/assets/images/mm-header-overlay-red-filter.jpg" | relative_url }})
 
@@ -492,6 +494,21 @@ header:
       url: "https://github.com"
 ```
 
+Or if you want to do more fancy things, go all the way to [linear-gradient][mdn-linear-gradient]:
+
+![transparent custom overlay]({{ "/assets/images/mm-header-overlay-custom-filter.jpg" | relative_url }})
+
+```yaml
+excerpt: "This post should [...]"
+header:
+  overlay_image: /assets/images/unsplash-image-1.jpg
+  overlay_filter: linear-gradient(rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5), rgba(0, 255, 255, 0.5))
+  caption: "Photo credit: [**Unsplash**](https://unsplash.com)"
+  actions:
+    - label: "Download"
+      url: "https://github.com"
+```
+
 Multiple call to action button links can be assigned like this:
 
 ```yaml
diff --git a/docs/_docs/18-history.md b/docs/_docs/18-history.md
index f3b025bcc75c..d2da54436e6c 100644
--- a/docs/_docs/18-history.md
+++ b/docs/_docs/18-history.md
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ toc: false
 - Update Indonesian localized UI text strings. [#2731](https://github.com/mmistakes/minimal-mistakes/pull/2731)]
 - Update remote theme documentation. [#2734](https://github.com/mmistakes/minimal-mistakes/pull/2734)
 - Update allejo/jekyll-toc to v1.1.0, skip headings without an ID. [#2752](https://github.com/mmistakes/minimal-mistakes/pull/2752)
+- Allow custom gradient for page header overlay. [#2806](https://github.com/mmistakes/minimal-mistakes/pull/2806)
 
 ## [4.21.0](https://github.com/mmistakes/minimal-mistakes/releases/tag/4.21.0)
 
diff --git a/docs/assets/images/mm-header-overlay-custom-filter.jpg b/docs/assets/images/mm-header-overlay-custom-filter.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7f0cff974496
Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/assets/images/mm-header-overlay-custom-filter.jpg differ