diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 76d50f44c..5f942d9e9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -341,6 +341,24 @@ Contribution of more such shared configs for other platforms are welcome!
 
 An array of folders. Resolved modules only from those folders will be considered as "external". By default - `["node_modules"]`. Makes sense if you have configured your path or webpack to handle your internal paths differently and want to considered modules from some folders, for example `bower_components` or `jspm_modules`, as "external".
 
+#### `import/external-modules`
+
+An array of modules. Imports from those modules will be considered as "external".
+For example with
+
+```yaml
+# .eslintrc.yml
+settings:
+  import/external-modules: [ my-module ]
+```
+
+these imports will be considered as "external".
+
+```js
+import myModule from 'my-module'
+import mySubModule from 'my-module/submodule'
+```
+
 #### `import/parsers`
 
 A map from parsers to file extension arrays. If a file extension is matched, the
diff --git a/src/core/importType.js b/src/core/importType.js
index b948ea2bb..9c1db09a6 100644
--- a/src/core/importType.js
+++ b/src/core/importType.js
@@ -25,12 +25,15 @@ export function isBuiltIn(name, settings, path) {
 }
 
 function isExternalPath(path, name, settings) {
+  const modules = (settings && settings['import/external-modules']) || []
   const folders = (settings && settings['import/external-module-folders']) || ['node_modules']
 
   // extract the part before the first / (redux-saga/effects => redux-saga)
   const packageName = name.match(/([^/]+)/)[0]
 
-  return !path || folders.some(folder => -1 < path.indexOf(join(folder, packageName)))
+  return !path
+    || folders.some(folder => -1 < path.indexOf(join(folder, packageName)))
+    || modules.includes(packageName)
 }
 
 const externalModuleRegExp = /^\w/
diff --git a/tests/src/core/importType.js b/tests/src/core/importType.js
index 07466bfa9..9d243a717 100644
--- a/tests/src/core/importType.js
+++ b/tests/src/core/importType.js
@@ -134,4 +134,14 @@ describe('importType(name)', function () {
     const foldersContext = testContext({ 'import/external-module-folders': ['node_modules'] })
     expect(importType('resolve', foldersContext)).to.equal('external')
   })
+
+  it("should return 'internal' for 'core/importType' if 'core' missed in 'external-modules'", function() {
+    const foldersContext = testContext({ 'import/external-modules': [] })
+    expect(importType('core/importType', foldersContext)).to.equal('external')
+  })
+
+  it("should return 'external' for 'core/importType' if 'core' contained in 'external-modules'", function() {
+    const foldersContext = testContext({ 'import/external-modules': ['core'] })
+    expect(importType('core/importType', foldersContext)).to.equal('external')
+  })
 })