diff --git a/scripts/combo-layer b/scripts/combo-layer
index 71fa7b127c..62f2cf8fa3 100755
--- a/scripts/combo-layer
+++ b/scripts/combo-layer
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@ class Configuration(object):
                 if value.startswith("@"):
                     self.repos[repo][name] = eval(value.strip("@"))
                 else:
+                    # Apply special type transformations for some properties.
+                    # Type matches the RawConfigParser.get*() methods.
+                    types = {'signoff': 'boolean'}
+                    if name in types:
+                        value = getattr(parser, 'get' + types[name])(section, name)
                     self.repos[repo][name] = value
 
         logger.debug("Loading config file %s" % self.conffile)
@@ -482,7 +487,7 @@ def apply_patchlist(conf, repos):
                 if os.path.getsize(patchfile) == 0:
                     logger.info("(skipping %d/%d %s - no changes)" % (i, linecount, patchdisp))
                 else:
-                    cmd = "git am --keep-cr -s -p1 %s" % patchfile
+                    cmd = "git am --keep-cr %s-p1 %s" % ('-s ' if repo.get('signoff', True) else '', patchfile)
                     logger.info("Applying %d/%d: %s" % (i, linecount, patchdisp))
                     try:
                         runcmd(cmd)
diff --git a/scripts/combo-layer.conf.example b/scripts/combo-layer.conf.example
index 010a692350..427c1b399f 100644
--- a/scripts/combo-layer.conf.example
+++ b/scripts/combo-layer.conf.example
@@ -1,7 +1,17 @@
 # combo-layer example configuration file
 
+# Default values for all sections.
+[DEFAULT]
+
+# Add 'Signed-off-by' to all commits that get imported automatically.
+signoff = True
+
 # component name
 [bitbake]
+
+# Override signedoff default above (not very useful, but possible).
+signoff = False
+
 # mandatory options
 # git upstream uri
 src_uri = git://git.openembedded.org/bitbake