diff --git a/Documentation/git-rm.txt b/Documentation/git-rm.txt
index 262436b7b1..dbf41621ae 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-rm.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-rm.txt
@@ -149,6 +149,10 @@ files that aren't ignored are present in the submodules work tree.
 Ignored files are deemed expendable and won't stop a submodule's work
 tree from being removed.
 
+If you only want to remove the local checkout of a submodule from your
+work tree without committing the removal,
+use linkgit:git-submodule[1] `deinit` instead.
+
 EXAMPLES
 --------
 `git rm Documentation/\*.txt`::
diff --git a/Documentation/git-submodule.txt b/Documentation/git-submodule.txt
index b1de3bade7..27cd57a7e4 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-submodule.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-submodule.txt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
 	      [--reference <repository>] [--] <repository> [<path>]
 'git submodule' [--quiet] status [--cached] [--recursive] [--] [<path>...]
 'git submodule' [--quiet] init [--] [<path>...]
+'git submodule' [--quiet] deinit [-f|--force] [--] <path>...
 'git submodule' [--quiet] update [--init] [-N|--no-fetch] [--rebase]
 	      [--reference <repository>] [--merge] [--recursive] [--] [<path>...]
 'git submodule' [--quiet] summary [--cached|--files] [(-n|--summary-limit) <n>]
@@ -134,6 +135,19 @@ init::
 	the explicit 'init' step if you do not intend to customize
 	any submodule locations.
 
+deinit::
+	Unregister the given submodules, i.e. remove the whole
+	`submodule.$name` section from .git/config together with their work
+	tree. Further calls to `git submodule update`, `git submodule foreach`
+	and `git submodule sync` will skip any unregistered submodules until
+	they are initialized again, so use this command if you don't want to
+	have a local checkout of the submodule in your work tree anymore. If
+	you really want to remove a submodule from the repository and commit
+	that use linkgit:git-rm[1] instead.
++
+If `--force` is specified, the submodule's work tree will be removed even if
+it contains local modifications.
+
 update::
 	Update the registered submodules, i.e. clone missing submodules and
 	checkout the commit specified in the index of the containing repository.
@@ -211,8 +225,10 @@ OPTIONS
 
 -f::
 --force::
-	This option is only valid for add and update commands.
+	This option is only valid for add, deinit and update commands.
 	When running add, allow adding an otherwise ignored submodule path.
+	When running deinit the submodule work trees will be removed even if
+	they contain local changes.
 	When running update, throw away local changes in submodules when
 	switching to a different commit; and always run a checkout operation
 	in the submodule, even if the commit listed in the index of the
diff --git a/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash b/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
index 0b77eb1fa4..f3c53cc8fb 100644
--- a/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
+++ b/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
@@ -2176,7 +2176,7 @@ _git_submodule ()
 {
 	__git_has_doubledash && return
 
-	local subcommands="add status init update summary foreach sync"
+	local subcommands="add status init deinit update summary foreach sync"
 	if [ -z "$(__git_find_on_cmdline "$subcommands")" ]; then
 		case "$cur" in
 		--*)
diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index 2365149d0b..c1a3202d41 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ dashless=$(basename "$0" | sed -e 's/-/ /')
 USAGE="[--quiet] add [-b <branch>] [-f|--force] [--name <name>] [--reference <repository>] [--] <repository> [<path>]
    or: $dashless [--quiet] status [--cached] [--recursive] [--] [<path>...]
    or: $dashless [--quiet] init [--] [<path>...]
+   or: $dashless [--quiet] deinit [-f|--force] [--] <path>...
    or: $dashless [--quiet] update [--init] [-N|--no-fetch] [-f|--force] [--rebase] [--reference <repository>] [--merge] [--recursive] [--] [<path>...]
    or: $dashless [--quiet] summary [--cached|--files] [--summary-limit <n>] [commit] [--] [<path>...]
    or: $dashless [--quiet] foreach [--recursive] <command>
@@ -515,6 +516,80 @@ cmd_init()
 	done
 }
 
+#
+# Unregister submodules from .git/config and remove their work tree
+#
+# $@ = requested paths (use '.' to deinit all submodules)
+#
+cmd_deinit()
+{
+	# parse $args after "submodule ... deinit".
+	while test $# -ne 0
+	do
+		case "$1" in
+		-f|--force)
+			force=$1
+			;;
+		-q|--quiet)
+			GIT_QUIET=1
+			;;
+		--)
+			shift
+			break
+			;;
+		-*)
+			usage
+			;;
+		*)
+			break
+			;;
+		esac
+		shift
+	done
+
+	if test $# = 0
+	then
+		die "$(eval_gettext "Use '.' if you really want to deinitialize all submodules")"
+	fi
+
+	module_list "$@" |
+	while read mode sha1 stage sm_path
+	do
+		die_if_unmatched "$mode"
+		name=$(module_name "$sm_path") || exit
+
+		# Remove the submodule work tree (unless the user already did it)
+		if test -d "$sm_path"
+		then
+			# Protect submodules containing a .git directory
+			if test -d "$sm_path/.git"
+			then
+				echo >&2 "$(eval_gettext "Submodule work tree '\$sm_path' contains a .git directory")"
+				die "$(eval_gettext "(use 'rm -rf' if you really want to remove it including all of its history)")"
+			fi
+
+			if test -z "$force"
+			then
+				git rm -n "$sm_path" ||
+				die "$(eval_gettext "Submodule work tree '\$sm_path' contains local modifications; use '-f' to discard them")"
+			fi
+			rm -rf "$sm_path" || say "$(eval_gettext "Could not remove submodule work tree '\$sm_path'")"
+		fi
+
+		mkdir "$sm_path" || say "$(eval_gettext "Could not create empty submodule directory '\$sm_path'")"
+
+		# Remove the .git/config entries (unless the user already did it)
+		if test -n "$(git config --get-regexp submodule."$name\.")"
+		then
+			# Remove the whole section so we have a clean state when
+			# the user later decides to init this submodule again
+			url=$(git config submodule."$name".url)
+			git config --remove-section submodule."$name" 2>/dev/null &&
+			say "$(eval_gettext "Submodule '\$name' (\$url) unregistered for path '\$sm_path'")"
+		fi
+	done
+}
+
 #
 # Update each submodule path to correct revision, using clone and checkout as needed
 #
@@ -1108,7 +1183,7 @@ cmd_sync()
 while test $# != 0 && test -z "$command"
 do
 	case "$1" in
-	add | foreach | init | update | status | summary | sync)
+	add | foreach | init | deinit | update | status | summary | sync)
 		command=$1
 		;;
 	-q|--quiet)
diff --git a/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh b/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh
index de7d45352e..825c8b9457 100755
--- a/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh
+++ b/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh
@@ -756,4 +756,104 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule add with an existing name fails unless forced' '
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'set up a second submodule' '
+	git submodule add ./init2 example2 &&
+	git commit -m "submodule example2 added"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'submodule deinit should remove the whole submodule section from .git/config' '
+	git config submodule.example.foo bar &&
+	git config submodule.example2.frotz nitfol &&
+	git submodule deinit init &&
+	test -z "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example\.")" &&
+	test -n "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example2\.")" &&
+	test -f example2/.git &&
+	rmdir init
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'submodule deinit . deinits all initialized submodules' '
+	git submodule update --init &&
+	git config submodule.example.foo bar &&
+	git config submodule.example2.frotz nitfol &&
+	test_must_fail git submodule deinit &&
+	git submodule deinit . &&
+	test -z "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example\.")" &&
+	test -z "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example2\.")" &&
+	rmdir init example2
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'submodule deinit deinits a submodule when its work tree is missing or empty' '
+	git submodule update --init &&
+	rm -rf init example2/* example2/.git &&
+	git submodule deinit init example2 &&
+	test -z "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example\.")" &&
+	test -z "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example2\.")" &&
+	rmdir init
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'submodule deinit fails when the submodule contains modifications unless forced' '
+	git submodule update --init &&
+	echo X >>init/s &&
+	test_must_fail git submodule deinit init &&
+	test -n "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example\.")" &&
+	test -f example2/.git &&
+	git submodule deinit -f init &&
+	test -z "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example\.")" &&
+	rmdir init
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'submodule deinit fails when the submodule contains untracked files unless forced' '
+	git submodule update --init &&
+	echo X >>init/untracked &&
+	test_must_fail git submodule deinit init &&
+	test -n "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example\.")" &&
+	test -f example2/.git &&
+	git submodule deinit -f init &&
+	test -z "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example\.")" &&
+	rmdir init
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'submodule deinit fails when the submodule HEAD does not match unless forced' '
+	git submodule update --init &&
+	(
+		cd init &&
+		git checkout HEAD^
+	) &&
+	test_must_fail git submodule deinit init &&
+	test -n "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example\.")" &&
+	test -f example2/.git &&
+	git submodule deinit -f init &&
+	test -z "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example\.")" &&
+	rmdir init
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'submodule deinit is silent when used on an uninitialized submodule' '
+	git submodule update --init &&
+	git submodule deinit init >actual &&
+	test_i18ngrep "Submodule .example. (.*) unregistered for path .init" actual &&
+	git submodule deinit init >actual &&
+	test_i18ngrep ! "Submodule .example. (.*) unregistered for path .init" actual &&
+	git submodule deinit . >actual &&
+	test_i18ngrep ! "Submodule .example. (.*) unregistered for path .init" actual &&
+	test_i18ngrep "Submodule .example2. (.*) unregistered for path .example2" actual &&
+	git submodule deinit . >actual &&
+	test_i18ngrep ! "Submodule .example. (.*) unregistered for path .init" actual &&
+	test_i18ngrep ! "Submodule .example2. (.*) unregistered for path .example2" actual &&
+	rmdir init example2
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'submodule deinit fails when submodule has a .git directory even when forced' '
+	git submodule update --init &&
+	(
+		cd init &&
+		rm .git &&
+		cp -R ../.git/modules/example .git &&
+		GIT_WORK_TREE=. git config --unset core.worktree
+	) &&
+	test_must_fail git submodule deinit init &&
+	test_must_fail git submodule deinit -f init &&
+	test -d init/.git &&
+	test -n "$(git config --get-regexp "submodule\.example\.")"
+'
+
 test_done