diff --git a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-setting.php b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-setting.php
index 65fa2e2234..c7cff51fe5 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-setting.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/class-wp-customize-setting.php
@@ -143,6 +143,11 @@ class WP_Customize_Setting {
 		if ( 'option' === $this->type || 'theme_mod' === $this->type ) {
 			// Other setting types can opt-in to aggregate multidimensional explicitly.
 			$this->aggregate_multidimensional();
+
+			// Allow option settings to indicate whether they should be autoloaded.
+			if ( 'option' === $this->type && isset( $args['autoload'] ) ) {
+				self::$aggregated_multidimensionals[ $this->type ][ $this->id_data['base'] ]['autoload'] = $args['autoload'];
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -173,10 +178,6 @@ class WP_Customize_Setting {
 	 * @access protected
 	 */
 	protected function aggregate_multidimensional() {
-		if ( empty( $this->id_data['keys'] ) ) {
-			return;
-		}
-
 		$id_base = $this->id_data['base'];
 		if ( ! isset( self::$aggregated_multidimensionals[ $this->type ] ) ) {
 			self::$aggregated_multidimensionals[ $this->type ] = array();
@@ -188,7 +189,10 @@ class WP_Customize_Setting {
 				'root_value'                => $this->get_root_value( array() ), // Root value for initial state, manipulated by preview and update calls.
 			);
 		}
-		$this->is_multidimensional_aggregated = true;
+
+		if ( ! empty( $this->id_data['keys'] ) ) {
+			$this->is_multidimensional_aggregated = true;
+		}
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -502,7 +506,11 @@ class WP_Customize_Setting {
 	protected function set_root_value( $value ) {
 		$id_base = $this->id_data['base'];
 		if ( 'option' === $this->type ) {
-			return update_option( $id_base, $value );
+			$autoload = true;
+			if ( isset( self::$aggregated_multidimensionals[ $this->type ][ $this->id_data['base'] ]['autoload'] ) ) {
+				$autoload = self::$aggregated_multidimensionals[ $this->type ][ $this->id_data['base'] ]['autoload'];
+			}
+			return update_option( $id_base, $value, $autoload );
 		} else if ( 'theme_mod' ) {
 			set_theme_mod( $id_base, $value );
 			return true;
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/customize/setting.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/customize/setting.php
index 296554b08d..da789b12d1 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/customize/setting.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/customize/setting.php
@@ -472,5 +472,62 @@ class Tests_WP_Customize_Setting extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		$this->assertNotEquals( $post_value, get_option( $name ) );
 		restore_current_blog();
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @ticket 33499
+	 */
+	function test_option_autoloading() {
+		global $wpdb;
+		wp_set_current_user( self::factory()->user->create( array( 'role' => 'administrator' ) ) );
+
+		$name = 'autoloaded1';
+		$setting = new WP_Customize_Setting( $this->manager, $name, array(
+			'type' => 'option',
+		) );
+		$value = 'value1';
+		$this->manager->set_post_value( $setting->id, $value );
+		$setting->save();
+		$autoload = $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT autoload FROM $wpdb->options WHERE option_name = %s", $setting->id ) );
+		$this->assertEquals( 'yes', $autoload );
+		$this->assertEquals( $value, get_option( $name ) );
+
+		$name = 'autoloaded2';
+		$setting = new WP_Customize_Setting( $this->manager, $name, array(
+			'type' => 'option',
+			'autoload' => true,
+		) );
+		$value = 'value2';
+		$this->manager->set_post_value( $setting->id, $value );
+		$setting->save();
+		$autoload = $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT autoload FROM $wpdb->options WHERE option_name = %s", $setting->id ) );
+		$this->assertEquals( 'yes', $autoload );
+		$this->assertEquals( $value, get_option( $name ) );
+
+		$name = 'not-autoloaded1';
+		$setting = new WP_Customize_Setting( $this->manager, $name, array(
+			'type' => 'option',
+			'autoload' => false,
+		) );
+		$value = 'value3';
+		$this->manager->set_post_value( $setting->id, $value );
+		$setting->save();
+		$autoload = $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT autoload FROM $wpdb->options WHERE option_name = %s", $setting->id ) );
+		$this->assertEquals( 'no', $autoload );
+		$this->assertEquals( $value, get_option( $name ) );
+
+		$id_base = 'multi-not-autoloaded';
+		$setting1 = new WP_Customize_Setting( $this->manager, $id_base . '[foo]', array(
+			'type' => 'option',
+		) );
+		$setting2 = new WP_Customize_Setting( $this->manager, $id_base . '[bar]', array(
+			'type' => 'option',
+			'autoload' => false,
+		) );
+		$this->manager->set_post_value( $setting1->id, 'value1' );
+		$this->manager->set_post_value( $setting2->id, 'value2' );
+		$setting1->save();
+		$autoload = $wpdb->get_var( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT autoload FROM $wpdb->options WHERE option_name = %s", $id_base ) );
+		$this->assertEquals( 'no', $autoload, 'Even though setting1 did not indicate autoload (thus normally true), since another multidimensional option setting of the base did say autoload=false, it should be autoload=no' );
+	}
 }