diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4c5d430b6..497388b85 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1486,6 +1486,62 @@ Merged
 ; => true
 ```
 
+`:union` is similar to `:or`, except `:union` combines map schemas in different disjuncts with `:or`.
+For example, `UnionMaps` is equivalent to `[:map [:x [:or :int :string]] [:y [:or :int :string]]]`.
+
+```clojure
+(def OrMaps
+  (m/schema
+    [:or
+     [:map [:x :int] [:x :string]]
+     [:map [:x :string] [:x :int]]]
+    {:registry registry}))
+
+(def UnionMaps
+  (m/schema
+    [:union
+     [:map [:x :int] [:x :string]]
+     [:map [:x :string] [:x :int]]]
+    {:registry registry}))
+
+(m/validate OrMaps {:x "kikka" :y "kikka"})
+; => false
+
+(m/validate UnionMaps {:x "kikka" :y "kikka"})
+; => true
+```
+
+`:merge` and `:union` differ on schemas with common keys. `:merge` chooses the right-most
+schema of common keys, and `:union` combines them with `:or`.
+For example, `MergedCommon` is equivalent to `[:map [:x :int]]`, and `UnionCommon`
+is equivalent to `[:map [:x [:or :string :int]]]`.
+
+```clojure
+(def MergedCommon
+  (m/schema
+    [:merge
+     [:map [:x :string]]
+     [:map [:x :int]]]
+    {:registry registry}))
+
+(def UnionCommon
+  (m/schema
+    [:union
+     [:map [:x :string]]
+     [:map [:x :int]]]
+    {:registry registry}))
+
+(m/validate MergedCommon {:x "kikka"})
+; => true
+(m/validate MergedCommon {:x 1})
+; => false
+(m/validate UnionCommon {:x "kikka"})
+; => true
+(m/validate UnionCommon {:x 1})
+; => true
+```
+
+
 ## Persisting schemas
 
 Writing and Reading schemas as [EDN](https://github.com/edn-format/edn), no `eval` needed.
diff --git a/test/malli/util_test.cljc b/test/malli/util_test.cljc
index e5fe993c9..1f3652726 100644
--- a/test/malli/util_test.cljc
+++ b/test/malli/util_test.cljc
@@ -822,6 +822,32 @@
         (is (= {:x [:str "x"]} (m/parse s {:x "x"})))
         (is (= {:x 1} (m/parse s {:x 1})))))
 
+    (testing "merge vs union"
+      (let [->s #(->> [%
+                       [:map [:x :string]]
+                       [:map [:x :int]]])
+            u (->s :union)
+            m (->s :merge)]
+        (is (m/validate u {:x 1}))
+        (is (m/validate u {:x "a"}))
+        (is (m/validate m {:x 1}))
+        (is (m/explain m {:x "a"}))))
+
+    (testing "union vs or"
+      (let [->s #(->> [%
+                       [:map [:x :string] [:y :int]]
+                       [:map [:x :int] [:y :string]]])
+            u (->s :union)
+            o (->s :or)]
+        (is (m/validate u {:x 1 :y 1}))
+        (is (m/validate u {:x 1 :y "a"}))
+        (is (m/validate u {:x "a" :y 1}))
+        (is (m/validate u {:x "a" :y "a"}))
+        (is (m/explain o {:x 1 :y 1}))
+        (is (m/validate o {:x 1 :y "a"}))
+        (is (m/validate o {:x "a" :y 1}))
+        (is (m/explain o {:x "a" :y "a"}))))
+
     (testing "select-keys"
       (let [s (->> [:select-keys
                     [:schema