diff --git a/bumpversion/cli.py b/bumpversion/cli.py
index b107e10..d627d70 100644
--- a/bumpversion/cli.py
+++ b/bumpversion/cli.py
@@ -327,6 +327,9 @@ def _load_configuration(config_file, explicit_config, defaults):
                 )
                 ThisVersionPartConfiguration = ConfiguredVersionPartConfiguration
 
+            if config.has_option(section_name, 'independent'):
+                section_config['independent'] = config.getboolean(section_name, 'independent')
+
             part_configs[section_value] = ThisVersionPartConfiguration(
                 **section_config
             )
diff --git a/bumpversion/functions.py b/bumpversion/functions.py
index 12ba6c9..9235f0b 100644
--- a/bumpversion/functions.py
+++ b/bumpversion/functions.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class NumericFunction:
 
     FIRST_NUMERIC = re.compile(r"([^\d]*)(\d+)(.*)")
 
-    def __init__(self, first_value=None):
+    def __init__(self, first_value=None, independent=False):
 
         if first_value is not None:
             try:
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ def __init__(self, first_value=None):
 
         self.first_value = str(first_value)
         self.optional_value = self.first_value
+        self.independent = independent
 
     def bump(self, value):
         part_prefix, part_numeric, part_suffix = self.FIRST_NUMERIC.search(
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ class ValuesFunction:
     you get a ValueError exception.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, values, optional_value=None, first_value=None):
+    def __init__(self, values, optional_value=None, first_value=None, independent=False):
 
         if not values:
             raise ValueError("Version part values cannot be empty")
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ def __init__(self, values, optional_value=None, first_value=None):
             )
 
         self.first_value = first_value
+        self.independent = independent
 
     def bump(self, value):
         try:
diff --git a/bumpversion/version_part.py b/bumpversion/version_part.py
index cb8c2fd..cf3f4e9 100644
--- a/bumpversion/version_part.py
+++ b/bumpversion/version_part.py
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ def first_value(self):
     def optional_value(self):
         return str(self.function.optional_value)
 
+    @property
+    def independent(self):
+        return self.function.independent
+
     def bump(self, value=None):
         return self.function.bump(value)
 
@@ -73,6 +77,9 @@ def bump(self):
     def is_optional(self):
         return self.value == self.config.optional_value
 
+    def is_independent(self):
+        return self.config.independent
+
     def __format__(self, format_spec):
         return self.value
 
@@ -117,7 +124,7 @@ def bump(self, part_name, order):
             if label == part_name:
                 new_values[label] = self._values[label].bump()
                 bumped = True
-            elif bumped:
+            elif bumped and not self._values[label].is_independent():
                 new_values[label] = self._values[label].null()
             else:
                 new_values[label] = self._values[label].copy()