diff --git a/evil-commands.el b/evil-commands.el
index 83fb9f4e..711c0adc 100644
--- a/evil-commands.el
+++ b/evil-commands.el
@@ -1477,7 +1477,7 @@ be joined with the previous line if and only if
 `evil-backspace-join-lines'."
   (interactive "p")
   (if (or evil-backspace-join-lines (not (bolp)))
-      (call-interactively 'delete-backward-char)
+      (delete-char -1)
     (user-error "Beginning of line")))
 
 (evil-define-command evil-delete-backward-word ()
@@ -1493,6 +1493,21 @@ be joined with the previous line if and only if
                     (line-beginning-position))
                    (point))))
 
+(evil-define-command evil-delete-back-to-indentation ()
+  "Delete back to the first non-whitespace character.
+If point is before the first non-whitespace character of a
+current line then delete from the point to the beginning of the
+current line.  If point is on the beginning of the line, behave
+according to `evil-backspace-join-lines'."
+  (if (bolp)
+      (evil-delete-backward-char-and-join 1)
+    (delete-region (if (<= (current-column) (current-indentation))
+                       (line-beginning-position)
+                     (save-excursion
+                       (evil-first-non-blank)
+                       (point)))
+                   (point))))
+
 (defun evil-ex-delete-or-yank (should-delete beg end type register count yank-handler)
   "Execute evil-delete or evil-yank on the given region.
 If SHOULD-DELETE is t, evil-delete will be executed, otherwise
diff --git a/evil-maps.el b/evil-maps.el
index f28385c2..25455115 100644
--- a/evil-maps.el
+++ b/evil-maps.el
@@ -379,6 +379,8 @@
     ,(if evil-want-C-w-delete
          '("\C-w" . evil-delete-backward-word)
        '("\C-w" . evil-window-map))
+    ,@(when evil-want-C-u-delete
+        '(("\C-u" . evil-delete-back-to-indentation)))
     ([mouse-2] . mouse-yank-primary))
   "Evil's bindings for insert state (for
 `evil-insert-state-map'), excluding <delete>, <escape>, and
diff --git a/evil-tests.el b/evil-tests.el
index ed9af7ed..503f12e6 100644
--- a/evil-tests.el
+++ b/evil-tests.el
@@ -1933,6 +1933,28 @@ ine3 line3      line3 l\n")))
       (should-error (execute-kbd-macro (concat "i" (kbd "C-w"))))
       "abc def\n[k]l\n")))
 
+(ert-deftest evil-test-delete-back-to-indentation ()
+  "Test `evil-delete-back-to-indentation' in insert state."
+  :tags '(evil)
+  (let ((evil-backspace-join-lines t))
+    (evil-test-buffer
+      "abc def\n   ghi j[k]l\n"
+      ("i" (call-interactively #'evil-delete-back-to-indentation))
+      "abc def\n   [k]l\n"
+      (execute-kbd-macro (concat (kbd "C-o") "2h"))
+      "abc def\n [ ] kl\n"
+      (call-interactively #'evil-delete-back-to-indentation)
+      "abc def\n[ ] kl\n"
+      (call-interactively #'evil-delete-back-to-indentation)
+      "abc def[ ] kl\n"))
+  (let (evil-backspace-join-lines)
+    (evil-test-buffer
+      "abc def\n[k]l\n"
+      (should-error
+       (progn (execute-kbd-macro "i")
+              (call-interactively #'evil-delete-back-to-indentation)))
+      "abc def\n[k]l\n")))
+
 (ert-deftest evil-test-change ()
   "Test `evil-change'"
   :tags '(evil operator)
diff --git a/evil-vars.el b/evil-vars.el
index 7a0c7947..0fa7ac1a 100644
--- a/evil-vars.el
+++ b/evil-vars.el
@@ -456,6 +456,22 @@ replicates the default vim behavior."
                     (not (lookup-key evil-motion-state-map (kbd "C-d"))))
                (define-key evil-motion-state-map (kbd "C-d") 'evil-scroll-down))))))
 
+(defcustom evil-want-C-u-delete nil
+  "Whether \\[C-u] deletes back to indentation in insert state."
+  :type 'boolean
+  :group 'evil
+  :set #'(lambda (sym value)
+           (set-default sym value)
+           (when (boundp 'evil-insert-state-map)
+             (cond
+              ((and (not value)
+                    (eq (lookup-key evil-insert-state-map (kbd "C-u"))
+                        'evil-delete-back-to-indentation))
+               (define-key evil-insert-state-map (kbd "C-u") nil))
+              ((and value
+                    (not (lookup-key evil-insert-state-map (kbd "C-u"))))
+               (define-key evil-insert-state-map (kbd "C-u") 'evil-delete-back-to-indentation))))))
+
 (defcustom evil-want-C-w-delete t
   "Whether \"C-w\" deletes a word in Insert state."
   :type 'boolean