diff --git a/internal/services/compute/linux_virtual_machine_resource.go b/internal/services/compute/linux_virtual_machine_resource.go
index 41a74dd6c7e49..4d9ed1072bd66 100644
--- a/internal/services/compute/linux_virtual_machine_resource.go
+++ b/internal/services/compute/linux_virtual_machine_resource.go
@@ -211,6 +211,15 @@ func resourceLinuxVirtualMachine() *pluginsdk.Resource {
 				ForceNew: true,
 			},
 
+			"patch_mode": {
+				Type:     pluginsdk.TypeString,
+				Optional: true,
+				ValidateFunc: validation.StringInSlice([]string{
+					string(compute.LinuxVMGuestPatchModeAutomaticByPlatform),
+					string(compute.LinuxVMGuestPatchModeImageDefault),
+				}, false),
+			},
+
 			"proximity_placement_group_id": {
 				Type:         pluginsdk.TypeString,
 				Optional:     true,
@@ -416,6 +425,12 @@ func resourceLinuxVirtualMachineCreate(d *pluginsdk.ResourceData, meta interface
 		Tags: tags.Expand(t),
 	}
 
+	if v, ok := d.GetOk("patch_mode"); ok {
+		params.VirtualMachineProperties.OsProfile.LinuxConfiguration.PatchSettings = &compute.LinuxPatchSettings{
+			PatchMode: compute.LinuxVMGuestPatchMode(compute.LinuxVMGuestPatchMode(v.(string))),
+		}
+	}
+
 	if v, ok := d.GetOk("license_type"); ok {
 		params.VirtualMachineProperties.LicenseType = utils.String(v.(string))
 	}
diff --git a/internal/services/compute/linux_virtual_machine_resource_auth_test.go b/internal/services/compute/linux_virtual_machine_resource_auth_test.go
index 4254fd248f633..72ce3dc0a7c49 100644
--- a/internal/services/compute/linux_virtual_machine_resource_auth_test.go
+++ b/internal/services/compute/linux_virtual_machine_resource_auth_test.go
@@ -72,6 +72,21 @@ func TestAccLinuxVirtualMachine_authSSHMultipleKeys(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestAccLinuxVirtualMachine_linuxPatchModeSetting(t *testing.T) {
+	data := acceptance.BuildTestData(t, "azurerm_linux_virtual_machine", "test")
+	r := LinuxVirtualMachineResource{}
+
+	data.ResourceTest(t, r, []acceptance.TestStep{
+		{
+			Config: r.linuxPatchModeSetting(data),
+			Check: acceptance.ComposeTestCheckFunc(
+				check.That(data.ResourceName).ExistsInAzure(r),
+			),
+		},
+		data.ImportStep(),
+	})
+}
+
 func (r LinuxVirtualMachineResource) authPassword(data acceptance.TestData) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf(`
 %s
@@ -210,3 +225,35 @@ resource "azurerm_linux_virtual_machine" "test" {
 }
 `, r.template(data), data.RandomInteger)
 }
+
+func (r LinuxVirtualMachineResource) linuxPatchModeSetting(data acceptance.TestData) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf(`
+%s
+
+resource "azurerm_linux_virtual_machine" "test" {
+  name                = "acctestVM-%d"
+  resource_group_name = azurerm_resource_group.test.name
+  location            = azurerm_resource_group.test.location
+  size                = "Standard_F2"
+  admin_username      = "adminuser"
+  admin_password      = "password1234!"
+  network_interface_ids = [
+    azurerm_network_interface.test.id,
+  ]
+
+  os_disk {
+    caching              = "ReadWrite"
+    storage_account_type = "Standard_LRS"
+  }
+
+  source_image_reference {
+    publisher = "Canonical"
+    offer     = "UbuntuServer"
+    sku       = "16.04-LTS"
+    version   = "latest"
+  }
+
+  patch_mode  = "AutomaticByOS"
+}
+`, r.template(data), data.RandomInteger)
+}
diff --git a/website/docs/r/linux_virtual_machine.html.markdown b/website/docs/r/linux_virtual_machine.html.markdown
index f9afeba995c88..4c82489770964 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/linux_virtual_machine.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/r/linux_virtual_machine.html.markdown
@@ -152,6 +152,8 @@ The following arguments are supported:
 
 * `identity` - (Optional) An `identity` block as defined below.
 
+* `patch_mode` - (Optional) Specifies the mode of in-guest patching to this Linux Virtual Machine. Possible values are `AutomaticByPlatform` and `ImageDefault`. Changing this forces a new resource to be created. Defaults to `ImageDefault`.
+
 * `max_bid_price` - (Optional) The maximum price you're willing to pay for this Virtual Machine, in US Dollars; which must be greater than the current spot price. If this bid price falls below the current spot price the Virtual Machine will be evicted using the `eviction_policy`. Defaults to `-1`, which means that the Virtual Machine should not be evicted for price reasons.
 
 -> **NOTE:** This can only be configured when `priority` is set to `Spot`.