diff --git a/pipenv/project.py b/pipenv/project.py
index cb34f689..43b1bc12 100644
--- a/pipenv/project.py
+++ b/pipenv/project.py
@@ -1226,7 +1226,9 @@ class Project:
             newly_added = True
 
         p[category][normalized_name] = entry
-        p[category] = dict(sorted(p[category].items()))
+
+        if self.settings.get("sort_alphabetical"):
+            p[category] = dict(sorted(p[category].items()))
 
         # Write Pipfile.
         self.write_toml(p)
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_install_basic.py b/tests/integration/test_install_basic.py
index bf4d2f13..85680978 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_install_basic.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_install_basic.py
@@ -557,9 +557,30 @@ dataclasses-json = {file = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/85/94/1b3021
         c = p.pipenv("""run python -c "from dataclasses_json import dataclass_json" """)
         assert c.returncode == 0
 
+
 @pytest.mark.basic
 @pytest.mark.install
-def test_packages_sorted_alphabetically_in_category(pipenv_instance_private_pypi):
+def test_category_sorted_alphabetically_with_directive(pipenv_instance_private_pypi):
+    with pipenv_instance_private_pypi() as p:
+        with open(p.pipfile_path, "w") as f:
+            contents = """
+[pipenv]
+sort_alphabetical = true
+
+[packages]
+atomicwrites = "*"
+colorama = "*"
+            """.strip()
+            f.write(contents)
+        c = p.pipenv("install build")
+        assert c.returncode == 0
+        assert "build" in p.pipfile["packages"]
+        assert list(p.pipfile["packages"].keys()) == ["atomicwrites", "build", "colorama"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.basic
+@pytest.mark.install
+def test_category_not_sorted_without_directive(pipenv_instance_private_pypi):
     with pipenv_instance_private_pypi() as p:
         with open(p.pipfile_path, "w") as f:
             contents = """
@@ -571,5 +592,8 @@ colorama = "*"
         c = p.pipenv("install build")
         assert c.returncode == 0
         assert "build" in p.pipfile["packages"]
-        assert list(p.pipfile["packages"].keys()) == ["atomicwrites", "build", "colorama"]
-
+        assert list(p.pipfile["packages"].keys()) == [
+            "atomicwrites",
+            "colorama",
+            "build",
+        ]