Index: src/wp-includes/option.php
===================================================================
--- src/wp-includes/option.php	(revision 38516)
+++ src/wp-includes/option.php	(working copy)
@@ -497,6 +497,36 @@
 
 	wp_protect_special_option( $option );
 
+	/**
+	 * Filters a specific option before its value is deleted.
+	 *
+	 * The dynamic portion of the hook name, `$option`, refers to the option name.
+	 *
+	 * Returning a value other than null will effectively short-circuit the delete process.
+	 *
+	 * @since 4.7.0
+	 *
+	 * @param null   $skip   Whether to short-circuit the process.
+	 * @param string $option Option name.
+	 */
+	$skip = apply_filters( "pre_delete_option_{$option}", null, $option );
+
+	/**
+	 * Filters an option before its value is deleted.
+	 *
+	 * Returning a value other than null will effectively short-circuit the delete process.
+	 *
+	 * @since 4.7.0
+	 *
+	 * @param null   $skip   Whether to short-circuit the process.
+	 * @param string $option Name of the option.
+	 */
+	$skip = apply_filters( 'pre_delete_option', $skip, $option );
+
+	if ( null !== $skip ) {
+		return (bool) $skip;
+	}
+
 	// Get the ID, if no ID then return
 	$row = $wpdb->get_row( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT autoload FROM $wpdb->options WHERE option_name = %s", $option ) );
 	if ( is_null( $row ) )