diff --git a/Documentation/config.txt b/Documentation/config.txt
index 015910f27a..d3c25f30f5 100644
--- a/Documentation/config.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config.txt
@@ -337,6 +337,12 @@ branch.<name>.merge::
 	branch.<name>.merge to the desired branch, and use the special setting
 	`.` (a period) for branch.<name>.remote.
 
+branch.<name>.mergeoptions::
+	Sets default options for merging into branch <name>. The syntax and
+	supported options are equal to that of gitlink:git-merge[1], but
+	option values containing whitespace characters are currently not
+	supported.
+
 clean.requireForce::
 	A boolean to make git-clean do nothing unless given -f or -n.  Defaults
 	to false.
diff --git a/Documentation/git-merge.txt b/Documentation/git-merge.txt
index 144bc16ff2..b1771a13c8 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-merge.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-merge.txt
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ merge.verbosity::
 	above outputs debugging information.  The default is level 2.
 	Can be overriden by 'GIT_MERGE_VERBOSITY' environment variable.
 
+branch.<name>.mergeoptions::
+	Sets default options for merging into branch <name>. The syntax and
+	supported options are equal to that of git-merge, but option values
+	containing whitespace characters are currently not supported.
 
 HOW MERGE WORKS
 ---------------
diff --git a/git-merge.sh b/git-merge.sh
index 49185eb5d2..a35b15157b 100755
--- a/git-merge.sh
+++ b/git-merge.sh
@@ -168,9 +168,30 @@ parse_option () {
 	args_left=$#
 }
 
+parse_config () {
+	while test $# -gt 0
+	do
+		parse_option "$@" || usage
+		while test $args_left -lt $#
+		do
+			shift
+		done
+	done
+}
+
 test $# != 0 || usage
 
 have_message=
+
+if branch=$(git-symbolic-ref -q HEAD)
+then
+	mergeopts=$(git config "branch.${branch#refs/heads/}.mergeoptions")
+	if test -n "$mergeopts"
+	then
+		parse_config $mergeopts
+	fi
+fi
+
 while parse_option "$@"
 do
 	while test $args_left -lt $#
diff --git a/t/t7600-merge.sh b/t/t7600-merge.sh
index dec6ea2271..110974cd01 100755
--- a/t/t7600-merge.sh
+++ b/t/t7600-merge.sh
@@ -341,4 +341,58 @@ test_expect_success 'merge c1 with c2 and c3 (squash)' '
 
 test_debug 'gitk --all'
 
+test_expect_success 'merge c1 with c2 (no-commit in config)' '
+	git reset --hard c1 &&
+	git config branch.master.mergeoptions "--no-commit" &&
+	git merge c2 &&
+	verify_merge file result.1-5 &&
+	verify_head $c1 &&
+	verify_mergeheads $c2
+'
+
+test_debug 'gitk --all'
+
+test_expect_success 'merge c1 with c2 (squash in config)' '
+	git reset --hard c1 &&
+	git config branch.master.mergeoptions "--squash" &&
+	git merge c2 &&
+	verify_merge file result.1-5 &&
+	verify_head $c1 &&
+	verify_no_mergehead &&
+	verify_diff squash.1-5 .git/SQUASH_MSG "[OOPS] bad squash message"
+'
+
+test_debug 'gitk --all'
+
+test_expect_success 'override config option -n' '
+	git reset --hard c1 &&
+	git config branch.master.mergeoptions "-n" &&
+	test_tick &&
+	git merge --summary c2 >diffstat.txt &&
+	verify_merge file result.1-5 msg.1-5 &&
+	verify_parents $c1 $c2 &&
+	if ! grep -e "^ file | \+2 +-$" diffstat.txt
+	then
+		echo "[OOPS] diffstat was not generated"
+	fi
+'
+
+test_debug 'gitk --all'
+
+test_expect_success 'override config option --summary' '
+	git reset --hard c1 &&
+	git config branch.master.mergeoptions "--summary" &&
+	test_tick &&
+	git merge -n c2 >diffstat.txt &&
+	verify_merge file result.1-5 msg.1-5 &&
+	verify_parents $c1 $c2 &&
+	if grep -e "^ file | \+2 +-$" diffstat.txt
+	then
+		echo "[OOPS] diffstat was generated"
+		false
+	fi
+'
+
+test_debug 'gitk --all'
+
 test_done