diff --git a/Documentation/RelNotes-1.6.6.txt b/Documentation/RelNotes-1.6.6.txt
index 5f1fecb5ec..fa0e11a180 100644
--- a/Documentation/RelNotes-1.6.6.txt
+++ b/Documentation/RelNotes-1.6.6.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 GIT v1.6.6 Release Notes
 ========================
 
+In this release, "git fsck" defaults to "git fsck --full" and checks
+packfiles, and because of this it will take much longer to complete
+than before.  If you prefer a quicker check only on loose objects (the
+old default), you can say "git fsck --no-full".  This has been
+supported by 1.5.4 and newer versions of git, so it is safe to write
+it in your script even if you use slightly older git on some of your
+machines.
+
 In git 1.7.0, which is planned to be the release after 1.6.6, "git
 push" into a branch that is currently checked out will be refused by
 default.
@@ -38,6 +46,9 @@ Updates since v1.6.5
 
 (usability, bells and whistles)
 
+ * "git fsck" by default checks the packfiles (i.e. "--full" is the
+   default); you can turn it off with "git fsck --no-full".
+
  * "git log --decorate" shows the location of HEAD as well.
 
 (developers)
diff --git a/Documentation/git-fsck.txt b/Documentation/git-fsck.txt
index 287c4fc5e0..6fe9484da3 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-fsck.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-fsck.txt
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
 --------
 [verse]
 'git fsck' [--tags] [--root] [--unreachable] [--cache] [--no-reflogs]
-	 [--full] [--strict] [--verbose] [--lost-found] [<object>*]
+	 [--[no-]full] [--strict] [--verbose] [--lost-found] [<object>*]
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ index file, all SHA1 references in .git/refs/*, and all reflogs (unless
 	or $GIT_DIR/objects/info/alternates,
 	and in packed git archives found in $GIT_DIR/objects/pack
 	and corresponding pack subdirectories in alternate
-	object pools.
+	object pools.  This is now default; you can turn it off
+	with --no-full.
 
 --strict::
 	Enable more strict checking, namely to catch a file mode
diff --git a/builtin-fsck.c b/builtin-fsck.c
index c58b0e337e..2d88e4570f 100644
--- a/builtin-fsck.c
+++ b/builtin-fsck.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ static int show_root;
 static int show_tags;
 static int show_unreachable;
 static int include_reflogs = 1;
-static int check_full;
+static int check_full = 1;
 static int check_strict;
 static int keep_cache_objects;
 static unsigned char head_sha1[20];