diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/matchline.h b/toonz/sources/toonz/matchline.h
index 8161c62..2d68add 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/matchline.h
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/matchline.h
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ public:
 
 void deleteMatchlines(TXshSimpleLevel *sl, const std::set<TFrameId> &fids);
 void deleteInk(TXshSimpleLevel *sl, const std::set<TFrameId> &fids);
-void mergeColumns(int dstColumn, int srcColumn, bool isRedo);
-void mergeColumns(const std::set<int> &columns);
+void mergeColumns(int dstColumn, int srcColumn, bool isRedo, bool groupLevels);
+void mergeColumns(const std::set<int> &columns, bool groupLevels);
 void doMatchlines(int column, int mColumn, int index, int inkPrevalence,
                   int MatchlineSessionId = 0);
 void mergeCmapped(int dstColumn, int srcColumn, const QString &fullpath,
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/matchlinecommand.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/matchlinecommand.cpp
index 59ed43a..f77ded0 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/matchlinecommand.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/matchlinecommand.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "tpalette.h"
 
 // TnzLib includes
+#include "toonz/txsheet.h"
 #include "toonz/toonzscene.h"
 #include "toonz/txshcell.h"
 #include "toonz/txshsimplelevel.h"
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "toonz/txshlevelhandle.h"
 #include "toonz/txsheethandle.h"
 #include "toonz/tscenehandle.h"
+#include "toonz/txshleveltypes.h"
 
 // TnzQt includes
 #include "toonzqt/menubarcommand.h"
@@ -99,6 +101,31 @@ MergeCmappedDialog::MergeCmappedDialog(TFilePath &levelPath)
 //    MergeColumns  command
 //*****************************************************************************
 
+bool isVectorColumn(const std::set<int> &columns) {
+  TXsheet *xsh = TApp::instance()->getCurrentXsheet()->getXsheet();
+  std::set<int>::const_iterator column = columns.begin();
+  int start, end;
+  xsh->getCellRange(*column, start, end);
+  
+  if (start > end) return false;
+  
+  std::vector<TXshCell> cell(end - start + 1);
+  xsh->getCells(start, *column, cell.size(), &(cell[0]));
+  
+  TXshSimpleLevel *level = 0;
+  for (int i = 0; i < (int)cell.size(); i++) {
+    if (cell[i].isEmpty()) continue;
+
+    level = cell[i].getSimpleLevel();
+    if (level->getType() == PLI_XSHLEVEL) {
+      return true;
+    } else {
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+
+}
+
 class MergeColumnsCommand final : public MenuItemHandler {
 public:
   MergeColumnsCommand() : MenuItemHandler(MI_MergeColumns) {}
@@ -123,8 +150,17 @@ public:
           "only one columns is selected."));
       return;
     }
-
-    mergeColumns(indices);
+    
+    bool groupLevels = true;
+    if (isVectorColumn(indices)) {
+      int opt = DVGui::MsgBox("Group strokes by vector levels?", QObject::tr("Yes"), QObject::tr("No"), QObject::tr("Cancel"));
+      if (opt == 3) return;
+      else {
+        groupLevels = (opt == 1);
+      };
+    }
+    
+    mergeColumns(indices, groupLevels);
     TApp::instance()->getCurrentXsheet()->notifyXsheetChanged();
   }
 
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/mergecolumns.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/mergecolumns.cpp
index 6dcd82d..e280ce6 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/mergecolumns.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/mergecolumns.cpp
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ bool needTobeGrouped(const TVectorImageP &vimg) {
 
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-void mergeVectorColumns(const std::vector<MatchlinePair> &matchingLevels) {
+void mergeVectorColumns(const std::vector<MatchlinePair> &matchingLevels, bool groupLevels) {
   if (matchingLevels.empty()) return;
 
   int i = 0;
@@ -157,9 +157,9 @@ void mergeVectorColumns(const std::vector<MatchlinePair> &matchingLevels) {
       throw TRopException("Cannot merge columns of different image types!");
     // img->lock();
 
-    if (needTobeGrouped(vimg)) vimg->group(0, vimg->getStrokeCount());
+    if (needTobeGrouped(vimg) && groupLevels) vimg->group(0, vimg->getStrokeCount());
     bool ungroup = false;
-    if (needTobeGrouped(vmatch)) {
+    if (needTobeGrouped(vmatch) && groupLevels) {
       ungroup = true;
       vmatch->group(0, vmatch->getStrokeCount());
     }
@@ -184,12 +184,13 @@ class MergeColumnsUndo final : public TUndo {
 
   int m_column, m_mColumn;
   TPalette *m_palette;
+  bool m_groupLevels;
 
 public:
   MergeColumnsUndo(TXshLevelP xl, int matchlineSessionId, int column,
                    TXshSimpleLevel *level,
                    const std::map<TFrameId, QString> &images, int mColumn,
-                   TPalette *palette)
+                   TPalette *palette, bool groupLevels)
       : TUndo()
       , m_xl(xl)
       , m_matchlineSessionId(matchlineSessionId)
@@ -197,7 +198,8 @@ public:
       , m_column(column)
       , m_mColumn(mColumn)
       , m_images(images)
-      , m_palette(palette->clone()) {}
+      , m_palette(palette->clone())
+	  , m_groupLevels(groupLevels) {}
 
   void undo() const override {
     QApplication::setOverrideCursor(Qt::WaitCursor);
@@ -225,7 +227,7 @@ public:
   void redo() const override {
     QApplication::setOverrideCursor(Qt::WaitCursor);
 
-    mergeColumns(m_column, m_mColumn, true);
+    mergeColumns(m_column, m_mColumn, true, m_groupLevels);
 
     QApplication::restoreOverrideCursor();
   }
@@ -250,7 +252,7 @@ public:
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-void mergeColumns(const std::set<int> &columns) {
+void mergeColumns(const std::set<int> &columns, bool groupLevels) {
   QApplication::setOverrideCursor(Qt::WaitCursor);
 
   std::set<int>::const_iterator it = columns.begin();
@@ -260,7 +262,7 @@ void mergeColumns(const std::set<int> &columns) {
 
   TUndoManager::manager()->beginBlock();
 
-  for (; it != columns.end(); ++it) mergeColumns(dstColumn, *it, false);
+  for (; it != columns.end(); ++it) mergeColumns(dstColumn, *it, false, groupLevels);
 
   TUndoManager::manager()->endBlock();
 
@@ -271,7 +273,7 @@ void mergeColumns(const std::set<int> &columns) {
 
 static int MergeColumnsSessionId = 0;
 
-void mergeColumns(int column, int mColumn, bool isRedo) {
+void mergeColumns(int column, int mColumn, bool isRedo, bool groupLevels) {
   if (!isRedo) MergeColumnsSessionId++;
   TXsheet *xsh = TApp::instance()->getCurrentXsheet()->getXsheet();
   int start, end;
@@ -386,7 +388,7 @@ void mergeColumns(int column, int mColumn, bool isRedo) {
   if (!isRedo)
     TUndoManager::manager()->add(
         new MergeColumnsUndo(xl, MergeColumnsSessionId, column, level, images,
-                             mColumn, level->getPalette()));
+                             mColumn, level->getPalette(), groupLevels));
 
   if (areRasters) {
     mergeRasterColumns(matchingLevels);
@@ -399,7 +401,7 @@ void mergeColumns(int column, int mColumn, bool isRedo) {
       ToolUtils::updateSaveBox(cell[i].getSimpleLevel(), cell[i].m_frameId);
     }
   } else
-    mergeVectorColumns(matchingLevels);
+    mergeVectorColumns(matchingLevels, groupLevels);
 
   TXshLevel *sl =
       TApp::instance()->getCurrentScene()->getScene()->getLevelSet()->getLevel(