diff --git a/src/outlines.js b/src/outlines.js
index 08e2f37..6ec7164 100644
--- a/src/outlines.js
+++ b/src/outlines.js
@@ -135,8 +135,13 @@ const layout = exports._layout = (config = {}, points = {}, units = {}) => {
         if (side == 'left') return left
         if (side == 'right') return right
 
+        // allow opting out of gluing, when
+        // A) there are no glue definitions, or
+        // B) glue is explicitly set to false
+        const glue_opt_out = (!Object.keys(parsed_glue).length || params.glue === false)
+
         let glue = {models: {}}
-        if (bound && ['middle', 'both', 'glue'].includes(side)) {
+        if (bound && ['middle', 'both', 'glue'].includes(side) && !glue_opt_out) {
 
             const default_glue_name = Object.keys(parsed_glue)[0]
             const computed_glue_name = a.sane(params.glue || default_glue_name, `${export_name}.glue`, 'string')()
diff --git a/test/outlines/gluing.yaml b/test/outlines/gluing.yaml
index cd1a898..60335d4 100644
--- a/test/outlines/gluing.yaml
+++ b/test/outlines/gluing.yaml
@@ -41,4 +41,10 @@ outlines:
         side: both
         bound: false
         size: 14
-        operation: subtract
\ No newline at end of file
+        operation: subtract
+    optout:
+      main:
+        type: keys
+        side: both
+        size: 20
+        glue: false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/outlines/gluing___outlines_optout_dxf.dxf b/test/outlines/gluing___outlines_optout_dxf.dxf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95ab1d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/outlines/gluing___outlines_optout_dxf.dxf
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
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+CONTINUOUS
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+______
+73
+0
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+ENDTAB
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+TABLE
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+LAYER
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+EOF
\ No newline at end of file