diff --git a/backend/googlecloudstorage/googlecloudstorage.go b/backend/googlecloudstorage/googlecloudstorage.go
index 65f010dab..e72ab148a 100644
--- a/backend/googlecloudstorage/googlecloudstorage.go
+++ b/backend/googlecloudstorage/googlecloudstorage.go
@@ -147,6 +147,22 @@ func init() {
 				Value: "publicReadWrite",
 				Help:  "Project team owners get OWNER access, and all Users get WRITER access.",
 			}},
+		}, {
+			Name: "bucket_policy_only",
+			Help: `Access checks should use bucket-level IAM policies.
+
+If you want to upload objects to a bucket with Bucket Policy Only set
+then you will need to set this.
+
+When it is set, rclone:
+
+- ignores ACLs set on buckets
+- ignores ACLs set on objects
+- creates buckets with Bucket Policy Only set
+
+Docs: https://cloud.google.com/storage/docs/bucket-policy-only
+`,
+			Default: false,
 		}, {
 			Name: "location",
 			Help: "Location for the newly created buckets.",
@@ -244,6 +260,7 @@ type Options struct {
 	ServiceAccountCredentials string `config:"service_account_credentials"`
 	ObjectACL                 string `config:"object_acl"`
 	BucketACL                 string `config:"bucket_acl"`
+	BucketPolicyOnly          bool   `config:"bucket_policy_only"`
 	Location                  string `config:"location"`
 	StorageClass              string `config:"storage_class"`
 }
@@ -716,8 +733,19 @@ func (f *Fs) Mkdir(dir string) (err error) {
 		Location:     f.opt.Location,
 		StorageClass: f.opt.StorageClass,
 	}
+	if f.opt.BucketPolicyOnly {
+		bucket.IamConfiguration = &storage.BucketIamConfiguration{
+			BucketPolicyOnly: &storage.BucketIamConfigurationBucketPolicyOnly{
+				Enabled: true,
+			},
+		}
+	}
 	err = f.pacer.Call(func() (bool, error) {
-		_, err = f.svc.Buckets.Insert(f.opt.ProjectNumber, &bucket).PredefinedAcl(f.opt.BucketACL).Do()
+		insertBucket := f.svc.Buckets.Insert(f.opt.ProjectNumber, &bucket)
+		if !f.opt.BucketPolicyOnly {
+			insertBucket.PredefinedAcl(f.opt.BucketACL)
+		}
+		_, err = insertBucket.Do()
 		return shouldRetry(err)
 	})
 	if err == nil {
@@ -983,7 +1011,11 @@ func (o *Object) Update(in io.Reader, src fs.ObjectInfo, options ...fs.OpenOptio
 	}
 	var newObject *storage.Object
 	err = o.fs.pacer.CallNoRetry(func() (bool, error) {
-		newObject, err = o.fs.svc.Objects.Insert(o.fs.bucket, &object).Media(in, googleapi.ContentType("")).Name(object.Name).PredefinedAcl(o.fs.opt.ObjectACL).Do()
+		insertObject := o.fs.svc.Objects.Insert(o.fs.bucket, &object).Media(in, googleapi.ContentType("")).Name(object.Name)
+		if !o.fs.opt.BucketPolicyOnly {
+			insertObject.PredefinedAcl(o.fs.opt.ObjectACL)
+		}
+		newObject, err = insertObject.Do()
 		return shouldRetry(err)
 	})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/docs/content/googlecloudstorage.md b/docs/content/googlecloudstorage.md
index 86843bf65..8d9f136cb 100644
--- a/docs/content/googlecloudstorage.md
+++ b/docs/content/googlecloudstorage.md
@@ -342,6 +342,27 @@ Access Control List for new buckets.
     - "publicReadWrite"
         - Project team owners get OWNER access, and all Users get WRITER access.
 
+#### --gcs-bucket-policy-only
+
+Access checks should use bucket-level IAM policies.
+
+If you want to upload objects to a bucket with Bucket Policy Only set
+then you will need to set this.
+
+When it is set, rclone:
+
+- ignores ACLs set on buckets
+- ignores ACLs set on objects
+- creates buckets with Bucket Policy Only set
+
+Docs: https://cloud.google.com/storage/docs/bucket-policy-only
+
+
+- Config:      bucket_policy_only
+- Env Var:     RCLONE_GCS_BUCKET_POLICY_ONLY
+- Type:        bool
+- Default:     false
+
 #### --gcs-location
 
 Location for the newly created buckets.