diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 625866c737..18fc50a37b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -201,6 +201,10 @@ all::
 #
 # Define NO_REGEX if you have no or inferior regex support in your C library.
 #
+# Define DEFAULT_PAGER to a sensible pager command (defaults to "less") if
+# you want to use something different.  The value will be interpreted by the
+# shell at runtime when it is used.
+#
 # Define DEFAULT_EDITOR to a sensible editor command (defaults to "vi") if you
 # want to use something different.  The value will be interpreted by the shell
 # if necessary when it is used.  Examples:
@@ -1380,6 +1384,13 @@ DEFAULT_EDITOR_CQ_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(DEFAULT_EDITOR_CQ))
 BASIC_CFLAGS += -DDEFAULT_EDITOR='$(DEFAULT_EDITOR_CQ_SQ)'
 endif
 
+ifdef DEFAULT_PAGER
+DEFAULT_PAGER_CQ = "$(subst ",\",$(subst \,\\,$(DEFAULT_PAGER)))"
+DEFAULT_PAGER_CQ_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(DEFAULT_PAGER_CQ))
+
+BASIC_CFLAGS += -DDEFAULT_PAGER='$(DEFAULT_PAGER_CQ_SQ)'
+endif
+
 ALL_CFLAGS += $(BASIC_CFLAGS)
 ALL_LDFLAGS += $(BASIC_LDFLAGS)
 
diff --git a/pager.c b/pager.c
index 0b63d99fe7..92c03f654a 100644
--- a/pager.c
+++ b/pager.c
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 #include "run-command.h"
 #include "sigchain.h"
 
+#ifndef DEFAULT_PAGER
+#define DEFAULT_PAGER "less"
+#endif
+
 /*
  * This is split up from the rest of git so that we can do
  * something different on Windows.
@@ -60,7 +64,7 @@ const char *git_pager(void)
 	if (!pager)
 		pager = getenv("PAGER");
 	if (!pager)
-		pager = "less";
+		pager = DEFAULT_PAGER;
 	else if (!*pager || !strcmp(pager, "cat"))
 		pager = NULL;