diff --git a/__tests__/src/rules/aria-role-test.js b/__tests__/src/rules/aria-role-test.js
index 1286ad898..a584c2f21 100644
--- a/__tests__/src/rules/aria-role-test.js
+++ b/__tests__/src/rules/aria-role-test.js
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ const invalidTests = createTests(invalidRoles).map((test) => {
   return invalidTest;
 });
 
+const allowedInvalidRoles = [{
+  allowedInvalidRoles: ['invalid-role', 'other-invalid-role'],
+}];
+
 const ignoreNonDOMSchema = [{
   ignoreNonDOM: true,
 }];
@@ -57,6 +61,9 @@ ruleTester.run('aria-role', rule, {
     { code: '<div role="doc-abstract" />' },
     { code: '<div role="doc-appendix doc-bibliography" />' },
     { code: '<Bar baz />' },
+    { code: '<img role="invalid-role" />', options: allowedInvalidRoles },
+    { code: '<img role="invalid-role tabpanel" />', options: allowedInvalidRoles },
+    { code: '<img role="invalid-role other-invalid-role" />', options: allowedInvalidRoles },
     { code: '<Foo role="bar" />', options: ignoreNonDOMSchema },
     { code: '<fakeDOM role="bar" />', options: ignoreNonDOMSchema },
     { code: '<img role="presentation" />', options: ignoreNonDOMSchema },
@@ -72,6 +79,7 @@ ruleTester.run('aria-role', rule, {
     { code: '<div role="tabpanel row range"></div>', errors: [errorMessage] },
     { code: '<div role="doc-endnotes range"></div>', errors: [errorMessage] },
     { code: '<div role />', errors: [errorMessage] },
+    { code: '<div role="unknown-invalid-role" />', errors: [errorMessage], options: allowedInvalidRoles },
     { code: '<div role={null}></div>', errors: [errorMessage] },
     { code: '<Foo role="datepicker" />', errors: [errorMessage] },
     { code: '<Foo role="Button" />', errors: [errorMessage] },
diff --git a/docs/rules/aria-role.md b/docs/rules/aria-role.md
index f8e22f115..0167752b0 100644
--- a/docs/rules/aria-role.md
+++ b/docs/rules/aria-role.md
@@ -10,12 +10,15 @@ This rule takes one optional object argument of type object:
 {
     "rules": {
         "jsx-a11y/aria-role": [ 2, {
+            "allowedInvalidRoles": ["text"],
             "ignoreNonDOM": true
         }],
     }
 }
 ```
 
+`allowedInvalidRules` is an optional string array of custom roles that should be allowed in addition to the ARIA spec, such as for cases when you [need to use a non-standard role](https://axesslab.com/text-splitting).
+
 For the `ignoreNonDOM` option, this determines if developer created components are checked.
 
 ### Succeed
diff --git a/src/rules/aria-role.js b/src/rules/aria-role.js
index 52bed2b86..57e4096bd 100644
--- a/src/rules/aria-role.js
+++ b/src/rules/aria-role.js
@@ -14,6 +14,13 @@ import { generateObjSchema } from '../util/schemas';
 const errorMessage = 'Elements with ARIA roles must use a valid, non-abstract ARIA role.';
 
 const schema = generateObjSchema({
+  allowedInvalidRoles: {
+    items: {
+      type: 'string',
+    },
+    type: 'array',
+    uniqueItems: true,
+  },
   ignoreNonDOM: {
     type: 'boolean',
     default: false,
@@ -28,42 +35,44 @@ export default {
     schema: [schema],
   },
 
-  create: (context) => ({
-    JSXAttribute: (attribute) => {
-      // Determine if ignoreNonDOM is set to true
-      // If true, then do not run rule.
-      const options = context.options[0] || {};
-      const ignoreNonDOM = !!options.ignoreNonDOM;
+  create: (context) => {
+    const options = context.options[0] || {};
+    const ignoreNonDOM = !!options.ignoreNonDOM;
+    const allowedInvalidRoles = new Set(options.allowedInvalidRoles || []);
+    const validRoles = new Set([...roles.keys()].filter((role) => roles.get(role).abstract === false));
 
-      if (ignoreNonDOM) {
-        const type = elementType(attribute.parent);
-        if (!dom.get(type)) {
-          return;
+    return ({
+      JSXAttribute: (attribute) => {
+        // If ignoreNonDOM and the parent isn't DOM, don't run rule.
+        if (ignoreNonDOM) {
+          const type = elementType(attribute.parent);
+          if (!dom.get(type)) {
+            return;
+          }
         }
-      }
 
-      // Get prop name
-      const name = propName(attribute).toUpperCase();
+        // Get prop name
+        const name = propName(attribute).toUpperCase();
 
-      if (name !== 'ROLE') { return; }
+        if (name !== 'ROLE') { return; }
 
-      const value = getLiteralPropValue(attribute);
+        const value = getLiteralPropValue(attribute);
 
-      // If value is undefined, then the role attribute will be dropped in the DOM.
-      // If value is null, then getLiteralAttributeValue is telling us that the
-      // value isn't in the form of a literal.
-      if (value === undefined || value === null) { return; }
+        // If value is undefined, then the role attribute will be dropped in the DOM.
+        // If value is null, then getLiteralAttributeValue is telling us that the
+        // value isn't in the form of a literal.
+        if (value === undefined || value === null) { return; }
 
-      const values = String(value).split(' ');
-      const validRoles = [...roles.keys()].filter((role) => roles.get(role).abstract === false);
-      const isValid = values.every((val) => validRoles.indexOf(val) > -1);
+        const values = String(value).split(' ');
+        const isValid = values.every((val) => allowedInvalidRoles.has(val) || validRoles.has(val));
 
-      if (isValid === true) { return; }
+        if (isValid === true) { return; }
 
-      context.report({
-        node: attribute,
-        message: errorMessage,
-      });
-    },
-  }),
+        context.report({
+          node: attribute,
+          message: errorMessage,
+        });
+      },
+    });
+  },
 };