diff --git a/packages/gatsby-plugin-sharp/src/plugin-options.js b/packages/gatsby-plugin-sharp/src/plugin-options.js
index a6d0b2989fa3b..f004dd11611e2 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby-plugin-sharp/src/plugin-options.js
+++ b/packages/gatsby-plugin-sharp/src/plugin-options.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ const generalArgs = {
   toFormat: ``,
   toFormatBase64: ``,
   sizeByPixelDensity: false,
+  rotate: 0,
 }
 
 let pluginOptions = Object.assign({}, pluginDefaults)
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ exports.createTransformObject = args => {
     webpQuality: args.webpQuality,
     jpegProgressive: args.jpegProgressive || generalArgs.jpegProgressive,
     grayscale: args.grayscale || generalArgs.grayscale,
-    rotate: !!args.rotate,
+    rotate: args.rotate,
     trim: !!args.trim,
     duotone: args.duotone ? args.duotone : null,
     fit: args.fit,
@@ -150,7 +151,7 @@ exports.removeDefaultValues = (args, pluginOptions) => {
         : undefined,
     grayscale:
       args.grayscale !== generalArgs.grayscale ? args.grayscale : undefined,
-    rotate: args.rotate ? args.rotate : undefined,
+    rotate: args.rotate !== generalArgs.rotate ? args.rotate : undefined,
     trim: args.trim ? args.trim : undefined,
     duotone: args.duotone || undefined,
     fit: args.fit,