diff --git a/trace.c b/trace.c
index b9d7272318..af64dbbcf3 100644
--- a/trace.c
+++ b/trace.c
@@ -169,6 +169,27 @@ void trace_strbuf_fl(const char *file, int line, struct trace_key *key,
 	print_trace_line(key, &buf);
 }
 
+static struct trace_key trace_perf_key = TRACE_KEY_INIT(PERFORMANCE);
+
+static void trace_performance_vprintf_fl(const char *file, int line,
+					 uint64_t nanos, const char *format,
+					 va_list ap)
+{
+	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+
+	if (!prepare_trace_line(file, line, &trace_perf_key, &buf))
+		return;
+
+	strbuf_addf(&buf, "performance: %.9f s", (double) nanos / 1000000000);
+
+	if (format && *format) {
+		strbuf_addstr(&buf, ": ");
+		strbuf_vaddf(&buf, format, ap);
+	}
+
+	print_trace_line(&trace_perf_key, &buf);
+}
+
 #ifndef HAVE_VARIADIC_MACROS
 
 void trace_printf(const char *format, ...)
@@ -200,6 +221,23 @@ void trace_strbuf(const char *key, const struct strbuf *data)
 	trace_strbuf_fl(NULL, 0, key, data);
 }
 
+void trace_performance(uint64_t nanos, const char *format, ...)
+{
+	va_list ap;
+	va_start(ap, format);
+	trace_performance_vprintf_fl(NULL, 0, nanos, format, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+}
+
+void trace_performance_since(uint64_t start, const char *format, ...)
+{
+	va_list ap;
+	va_start(ap, format);
+	trace_performance_vprintf_fl(NULL, 0, getnanotime() - start,
+				     format, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+}
+
 #else
 
 void trace_printf_key_fl(const char *file, int line, struct trace_key *key,
@@ -220,6 +258,15 @@ void trace_argv_printf_fl(const char *file, int line, const char **argv,
 	va_end(ap);
 }
 
+void trace_performance_fl(const char *file, int line, uint64_t nanos,
+			      const char *format, ...)
+{
+	va_list ap;
+	va_start(ap, format);
+	trace_performance_vprintf_fl(file, line, nanos, format, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+}
+
 #endif /* HAVE_VARIADIC_MACROS */
 
 
diff --git a/trace.h b/trace.h
index 4b893a55cf..c843e681a7 100644
--- a/trace.h
+++ b/trace.h
@@ -31,6 +31,14 @@ extern void trace_argv_printf(const char **argv, const char *format, ...);
 
 extern void trace_strbuf(struct trace_key *key, const struct strbuf *data);
 
+/* Prints elapsed time (in nanoseconds) if GIT_TRACE_PERFORMANCE is enabled. */
+__attribute__((format (printf, 2, 3)))
+extern void trace_performance(uint64_t nanos, const char *format, ...);
+
+/* Prints elapsed time since 'start' if GIT_TRACE_PERFORMANCE is enabled. */
+__attribute__((format (printf, 2, 3)))
+extern void trace_performance_since(uint64_t start, const char *format, ...);
+
 #else
 
 /*
@@ -79,6 +87,13 @@ extern void trace_strbuf(struct trace_key *key, const struct strbuf *data);
 #define trace_strbuf(key, data) \
 	trace_strbuf_fl(TRACE_CONTEXT, __LINE__, key, data)
 
+#define trace_performance(nanos, ...) \
+	trace_performance_fl(TRACE_CONTEXT, __LINE__, nanos, __VA_ARGS__)
+
+#define trace_performance_since(start, ...) \
+	trace_performance_fl(TRACE_CONTEXT, __LINE__, getnanotime() - (start), \
+			     __VA_ARGS__)
+
 /* backend functions, use non-*fl macros instead */
 __attribute__((format (printf, 4, 5)))
 extern void trace_printf_key_fl(const char *file, int line, struct trace_key *key,
@@ -88,6 +103,9 @@ extern void trace_argv_printf_fl(const char *file, int line, const char **argv,
 				 const char *format, ...);
 extern void trace_strbuf_fl(const char *file, int line, struct trace_key *key,
 			    const struct strbuf *data);
+__attribute__((format (printf, 4, 5)))
+extern void trace_performance_fl(const char *file, int line,
+				 uint64_t nanos, const char *fmt, ...);
 
 #endif /* HAVE_VARIADIC_MACROS */