diff --git a/Doc/library/unittest.mock.rst b/Doc/library/unittest.mock.rst
index 2073f0f3bb3..f2ebf113112 100644
--- a/Doc/library/unittest.mock.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/unittest.mock.rst
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ the *new_callable* argument to :func:`patch`.
         .. versionadded:: 3.5
 
 
-    .. method:: reset_mock()
+    .. method:: reset_mock(*, return_value=False, side_effect=False)
 
         The reset_mock method resets all the call attributes on a mock object:
 
@@ -376,12 +376,20 @@ the *new_callable* argument to :func:`patch`.
             >>> mock.called
             False
 
+        .. versionchanged:: 3.6
+           Added two keyword only argument to the reset_mock function.
+
         This can be useful where you want to make a series of assertions that
         reuse the same object. Note that :meth:`reset_mock` *doesn't* clear the
         return value, :attr:`side_effect` or any child attributes you have
-        set using normal assignment. Child mocks and the return value mock
+        set using normal assignment by default. In case you want to reset
+        *return_value* or :attr:`side_effect`, then pass the corresponding
+        parameter as ``True``. Child mocks and the return value mock
         (if any) are reset as well.
 
+        .. note:: *return_value*, and :attr:`side_effect` are keyword only
+                  argument.
+
 
     .. method:: mock_add_spec(spec, spec_set=False)
 
diff --git a/Lib/unittest/mock.py b/Lib/unittest/mock.py
index 123c156a96c..be215f3552b 100644
--- a/Lib/unittest/mock.py
+++ b/Lib/unittest/mock.py
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ class NonCallableMock(Base):
     side_effect = property(__get_side_effect, __set_side_effect)
 
 
-    def reset_mock(self, visited=None):
+    def reset_mock(self,  visited=None,*, return_value=False, side_effect=False):
         "Restore the mock object to its initial state."
         if visited is None:
             visited = []
@@ -538,6 +538,11 @@ class NonCallableMock(Base):
         self.call_args_list = _CallList()
         self.method_calls = _CallList()
 
+        if return_value:
+            self._mock_return_value = DEFAULT
+        if side_effect:
+            self._mock_side_effect = None
+
         for child in self._mock_children.values():
             if isinstance(child, _SpecState):
                 continue
diff --git a/Lib/unittest/test/testmock/testmock.py b/Lib/unittest/test/testmock/testmock.py
index 9910ab92d11..b07a7cc3182 100644
--- a/Lib/unittest/test/testmock/testmock.py
+++ b/Lib/unittest/test/testmock/testmock.py
@@ -1277,6 +1277,24 @@ class MockTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(m.method_calls[0], c)
         self.assertEqual(m.method_calls[1], i)
 
+    def test_reset_return_sideeffect(self):
+        m = Mock(return_value=10, side_effect=[2,3])
+        m.reset_mock(return_value=True, side_effect=True)
+        self.assertIsInstance(m.return_value, Mock)
+        self.assertEqual(m.side_effect, None)
+
+    def test_reset_return(self):
+        m = Mock(return_value=10, side_effect=[2,3])
+        m.reset_mock(return_value=True)
+        self.assertIsInstance(m.return_value, Mock)
+        self.assertNotEqual(m.side_effect, None)
+
+    def test_reset_sideeffect(self):
+        m = Mock(return_value=10, side_effect=[2,3])
+        m.reset_mock(side_effect=True)
+        self.assertEqual(m.return_value, 10)
+        self.assertEqual(m.side_effect, None)
+
     def test_mock_add_spec(self):
         class _One(object):
             one = 1
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 267ce716b1f..efe1e929695 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ Library
 - Issue #27056: Optimize pickle.load() and pickle.loads(), up to 10% faster
   to deserialize a lot of small objects.
 
+- Issue #21271: New keyword only parameters in reset_mock call.
+
 IDLE
 ----