diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f4ef470fe..f4960c70d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # **Upcoming release**
 
 - #624 Implement `nonlocal` keyword (@lieryan)
+- #696 Introduce the `prefer_global_from_imports` configuration (@nicoolas25)
 
 # Release 1.8.0
 
diff --git a/docs/default_config.py b/docs/default_config.py
index 3543b07f1..f18d27657 100644
--- a/docs/default_config.py
+++ b/docs/default_config.py
@@ -112,6 +112,12 @@ def set_prefs(prefs):
     #
     #     prefs["prefer_module_from_imports"] = False
 
+    # If `True`, rope will insert new name imports as
+    # `from <module> import <global>` by default.
+    #
+    #     prefs["prefer_global_from_imports"] = False
+
+
     # If `True`, rope will transform a comma list of imports into
     # multiple separate import statements when organizing
     # imports.
diff --git a/rope/base/prefs.py b/rope/base/prefs.py
index 9d4fd4a43..c97a0dfa2 100644
--- a/rope/base/prefs.py
+++ b/rope/base/prefs.py
@@ -143,7 +143,14 @@ class Prefs:
     prefer_module_from_imports: bool = field(
         default=False,
         description=dedent("""
-            If `True`, rope will insert new module imports as `from <package> import <module>`by default.
+            If `True`, rope will insert new module imports as `from <package> import <module>` by default.
+        """),
+    )
+
+    prefer_global_from_imports: bool = field(
+        default=False,
+        description=dedent("""
+            If `True`, rope will insert new global imports as `from <module> import <global>` by default.
         """),
     )
 
diff --git a/rope/refactor/importutils/__init__.py b/rope/refactor/importutils/__init__.py
index e13276eb1..a872a6cbd 100644
--- a/rope/refactor/importutils/__init__.py
+++ b/rope/refactor/importutils/__init__.py
@@ -305,19 +305,23 @@ def add_import(project, pymodule, module_name, name=None):
     # from mod import name
     if name is not None:
         from_import = FromImport(module_name, 0, [(name, None)])
+        if project.prefs.get("prefer_global_from_imports"):
+            selected_import = from_import
         names.append(name)
         candidates.append(from_import)
+
     # from pkg import mod
     if "." in module_name:
         pkg, mod = module_name.rsplit(".", 1)
         from_import = FromImport(pkg, 0, [(mod, None)])
-        if project.prefs.get("prefer_module_from_imports"):
+        if project.prefs.get("prefer_module_from_imports") and not selected_import:
             selected_import = from_import
         candidates.append(from_import)
         if name:
             names.append(mod + "." + name)
         else:
             names.append(mod)
+
     # import mod
     normal_import = NormalImport([(module_name, None)])
     if name:
diff --git a/ropetest/refactor/movetest.py b/ropetest/refactor/movetest.py
index 508069aa0..f38c144e2 100644
--- a/ropetest/refactor/movetest.py
+++ b/ropetest/refactor/movetest.py
@@ -177,6 +177,52 @@ def a_function():
             self.mod3.read(),
         )
 
+    def test_adding_imports_prefer_from_global(self):
+        self.project.prefs["prefer_global_from_imports"] = True
+        self.mod1.write(dedent("""\
+            class AClass(object):
+                pass
+            def a_function():
+                pass
+        """))
+        self.mod3.write(dedent("""\
+            import mod1
+            a_var = mod1.AClass()
+            mod1.a_function()"""))
+        # Move to mod4 which is in a different package
+        self._move(self.mod1, self.mod1.read().index("AClass") + 1, self.mod4)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            dedent("""\
+                import mod1
+                from pkg.mod4 import AClass
+                a_var = AClass()
+                mod1.a_function()"""),
+            self.mod3.read(),
+        )
+
+    def test_adding_imports_noprefer_from_global(self):
+        self.project.prefs["prefer_global_from_imports"] = False
+        self.mod1.write(dedent("""\
+            class AClass(object):
+                pass
+            def a_function():
+                pass
+        """))
+        self.mod3.write(dedent("""\
+            import mod1
+            a_var = mod1.AClass()
+            mod1.a_function()"""))
+        # Move to mod4 which is in a different package
+        self._move(self.mod1, self.mod1.read().index("AClass") + 1, self.mod4)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            dedent("""\
+                import mod1
+                import pkg.mod4
+                a_var = pkg.mod4.AClass()
+                mod1.a_function()"""),
+            self.mod3.read(),
+        )
+
     def test_adding_imports_prefer_from_module(self):
         self.project.prefs["prefer_module_from_imports"] = True
         self.mod1.write(dedent("""\