diff --git a/docs/markdown/Reference-manual.md b/docs/markdown/Reference-manual.md
index e4c18a176..cf5585b74 100644
--- a/docs/markdown/Reference-manual.md
+++ b/docs/markdown/Reference-manual.md
@@ -1209,6 +1209,9 @@ This function prints its argument to stdout prefixed with WARNING:.
 ### summary()
 
 ``` meson
+    void summary(key, value)
+    void summary(dictionary)
+    void summary(section_name, key, value)
     void summary(section_name, dictionary)
 ```
 
@@ -1216,12 +1219,16 @@ This function is used to summarize build configuration at the end of the build
 process. This function provides a way for projects (and subprojects) to report
 this information in a clear way.
 
-The first argument is a section name, the second argument is a dictionary.
-`summary()` can be called multiple times as long as the same dict key doesn't
-appear twice in the same section. All sections will be collected and printed at
-the end of the configuration in the same order as they have been called.
+The content is a serie of key/value pairs grouped into sections. If the section
+argument is omitted, those key/value pairs are implicitly grouped into a section
+with no title. key/value pairs can optionally be grouped into a dictionary,
+but keep in mind that dictionaries does not guarantee ordering.
+`section_name` and `key` must be strings, `value` can only be lists, integers,
+booleans or strings.
 
-Dictionary values can only be lists, integers, booleans or strings.
+`summary()` can be called multiple times as long as the same section_name/key
+pair doesn't appear twice. All sections will be collected and printed at
+the end of the configuration in the same order as they have been called.
 
 Example:
 ```meson
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
index a8e35fe06..2d937e549 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
@@ -1775,7 +1775,8 @@ class Summary:
         mlog.log(self.project_name, mlog.normal_cyan(self.project_version))
         for section, values in self.sections.items():
             mlog.log('')  # newline
-            mlog.log(' ', mlog.bold(section))
+            if section:
+                mlog.log(' ', mlog.bold(section))
             for k, v in values.items():
                 indent = self.max_key_len - len(k) + 3
                 mlog.log(' ' * indent, k + ':', v[0])
@@ -2871,13 +2872,28 @@ external dependencies (including libraries) must go to "dependencies".''')
     @noKwargs
     @FeatureNew('summary', '0.53.0')
     def func_summary(self, node, args, kwargs):
-        if len(args) != 2:
-            raise InterpreterException('Summary accepts exactly two arguments.')
-        section, values = args
-        if not isinstance(section, str):
-            raise InterpreterException('Argument 1 must be a string.')
-        if not isinstance(values, dict):
-            raise InterpreterException('Argument 2 must be a dictionary.')
+        if len(args) == 1:
+            if not isinstance(args[0], dict):
+                raise InterpreterException('Argument 1 must be a dictionary.')
+            section = ''
+            values = args[0]
+        elif len(args) == 2:
+            if not isinstance(args[0], str):
+                raise InterpreterException('Argument 1 must be a string.')
+            if isinstance(args[1], dict):
+                section, values = args
+            else:
+                section = ''
+                values = {args[0]: args[1]}
+        elif len(args) == 3:
+            if not isinstance(args[0], str):
+                raise InterpreterException('Argument 1 must be a string.')
+            if not isinstance(args[1], str):
+                raise InterpreterException('Argument 2 must be a string.')
+            section, key, value = args
+            values = {key: value}
+        else:
+            raise InterpreterException('Summary accepts at most 3 arguments.')
         if self.subproject not in self.summary:
             self.summary[self.subproject] = Summary(self.active_projectname, self.project_version)
         self.summary[self.subproject].add_section(section, values)
diff --git a/run_unittests.py b/run_unittests.py
index 9167d1401..cb5086cf2 100755
--- a/run_unittests.py
+++ b/run_unittests.py
@@ -4122,16 +4122,12 @@ recommended as it is not supported on some platforms''')
         expected = textwrap.dedent(r'''
             Some Subproject 2.0
 
-              Features
-                foo: bar
+                 string: bar
+                integer: 1
+                boolean: True
 
             My Project 1.0
 
-              Directories
-                         bindir: bin
-                         libdir: lib
-                        datadir: share
-
               Configuration
                    Some boolean: False
                 Another boolean: True
@@ -4139,6 +4135,7 @@ recommended as it is not supported on some platforms''')
                          A list: string
                                  1
                                  True
+                       A number: 1
             ''')
         # Dict ordering is not guaranteed and an exact string comparison randomly
         # fails on the CI because lines are reordered.
diff --git a/test cases/unit/74 summary/meson.build b/test cases/unit/74 summary/meson.build
index 11f96d089..392d940c5 100644
--- a/test cases/unit/74 summary/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/unit/74 summary/meson.build	
@@ -1,10 +1,5 @@
 project('My Project', version : '1.0')
 
-summary('Directories', {'bindir': get_option('bindir'),
-                        'libdir': get_option('libdir'),
-                        'datadir': get_option('datadir'),
-                        })
-
 subproject('sub')
 subproject('sub2', required : false)
 
@@ -13,3 +8,4 @@ summary('Configuration', {'Some boolean': false,
                           'Some string': 'Hello World',
                           'A list': ['string', 1, true],
                           })
+summary('Configuration', 'A number', 1)
diff --git a/test cases/unit/74 summary/subprojects/sub/meson.build b/test cases/unit/74 summary/subprojects/sub/meson.build
index f47c7b794..e7d783384 100644
--- a/test cases/unit/74 summary/subprojects/sub/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/unit/74 summary/subprojects/sub/meson.build	
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 project('Some Subproject', version : '2.0')
 
-summary('Features', {'foo': 'bar'})
+summary('string', 'bar')
+summary({'integer': 1, 'boolean': true})