diff --git a/Documentation/git-cat-file.txt b/Documentation/git-cat-file.txt
index 411de2e27d..0e4936d182 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-cat-file.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-cat-file.txt
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
 'git cat-file' (-t | -s) [--allow-unknown-type] <object>
 'git cat-file' (--batch | --batch-check | --batch-command) [--batch-all-objects]
 	     [--buffer] [--follow-symlinks] [--unordered]
-	     [--textconv | --filters] [-z]
+	     [--textconv | --filters] [-Z]
 'git cat-file' (--textconv | --filters)
 	     [<rev>:<path|tree-ish> | --path=<path|tree-ish> <rev>]
 
@@ -243,10 +243,16 @@ respectively print:
 	/etc/passwd
 --
 
+-Z::
+	Only meaningful with `--batch`, `--batch-check`, or
+	`--batch-command`; input and output is NUL-delimited instead of
+	newline-delimited.
+
 -z::
 	Only meaningful with `--batch`, `--batch-check`, or
 	`--batch-command`; input is NUL-delimited instead of
-	newline-delimited.
+	newline-delimited. This option is deprecated in favor of
+	`-Z` as the output can otherwise be ambiguous.
 
 
 OUTPUT
@@ -384,6 +390,11 @@ notdir SP <size> LF
 is printed when, during symlink resolution, a file is used as a
 directory name.
 
+Alternatively, when `-Z` is passed, the line feeds in any of the above examples
+are replaced with NUL terminators. This ensures that output will be parsable if
+the output itself would contain a linefeed and is thus recommended for
+scripting purposes.
+
 CAVEATS
 -------
 
diff --git a/builtin/cat-file.c b/builtin/cat-file.c
index 001dcb24d6..e5f72229df 100644
--- a/builtin/cat-file.c
+++ b/builtin/cat-file.c
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ struct batch_options {
 	int unordered;
 	int transform_mode; /* may be 'w' or 'c' for --filters or --textconv */
 	char input_delim;
+	char output_delim;
 	const char *format;
 };
 
@@ -437,11 +438,12 @@ static void print_object_or_die(struct batch_options *opt, struct expand_data *d
 	}
 }
 
-static void print_default_format(struct strbuf *scratch, struct expand_data *data)
+static void print_default_format(struct strbuf *scratch, struct expand_data *data,
+				 struct batch_options *opt)
 {
-	strbuf_addf(scratch, "%s %s %"PRIuMAX"\n", oid_to_hex(&data->oid),
+	strbuf_addf(scratch, "%s %s %"PRIuMAX"%c", oid_to_hex(&data->oid),
 		    type_name(data->type),
-		    (uintmax_t)data->size);
+		    (uintmax_t)data->size, opt->output_delim);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -470,8 +472,8 @@ static void batch_object_write(const char *obj_name,
 						       &data->oid, &data->info,
 						       OBJECT_INFO_LOOKUP_REPLACE);
 		if (ret < 0) {
-			printf("%s missing\n",
-			       obj_name ? obj_name : oid_to_hex(&data->oid));
+			printf("%s missing%c",
+			       obj_name ? obj_name : oid_to_hex(&data->oid), opt->output_delim);
 			fflush(stdout);
 			return;
 		}
@@ -492,17 +494,17 @@ static void batch_object_write(const char *obj_name,
 	strbuf_reset(scratch);
 
 	if (!opt->format) {
-		print_default_format(scratch, data);
+		print_default_format(scratch, data, opt);
 	} else {
 		strbuf_expand(scratch, opt->format, expand_format, data);
-		strbuf_addch(scratch, '\n');
+		strbuf_addch(scratch, opt->output_delim);
 	}
 
 	batch_write(opt, scratch->buf, scratch->len);
 
 	if (opt->batch_mode == BATCH_MODE_CONTENTS) {
 		print_object_or_die(opt, data);
-		batch_write(opt, "\n", 1);
+		batch_write(opt, &opt->output_delim, 1);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -520,22 +522,25 @@ static void batch_one_object(const char *obj_name,
 	if (result != FOUND) {
 		switch (result) {
 		case MISSING_OBJECT:
-			printf("%s missing\n", obj_name);
+			printf("%s missing%c", obj_name, opt->output_delim);
 			break;
 		case SHORT_NAME_AMBIGUOUS:
-			printf("%s ambiguous\n", obj_name);
+			printf("%s ambiguous%c", obj_name, opt->output_delim);
 			break;
 		case DANGLING_SYMLINK:
-			printf("dangling %"PRIuMAX"\n%s\n",
-			       (uintmax_t)strlen(obj_name), obj_name);
+			printf("dangling %"PRIuMAX"%c%s%c",
+			       (uintmax_t)strlen(obj_name),
+			       opt->output_delim, obj_name, opt->output_delim);
 			break;
 		case SYMLINK_LOOP:
-			printf("loop %"PRIuMAX"\n%s\n",
-			       (uintmax_t)strlen(obj_name), obj_name);
+			printf("loop %"PRIuMAX"%c%s%c",
+			       (uintmax_t)strlen(obj_name),
+			       opt->output_delim, obj_name, opt->output_delim);
 			break;
 		case NOT_DIR:
-			printf("notdir %"PRIuMAX"\n%s\n",
-			       (uintmax_t)strlen(obj_name), obj_name);
+			printf("notdir %"PRIuMAX"%c%s%c",
+			       (uintmax_t)strlen(obj_name),
+			       opt->output_delim, obj_name, opt->output_delim);
 			break;
 		default:
 			BUG("unknown get_sha1_with_context result %d\n",
@@ -547,9 +552,9 @@ static void batch_one_object(const char *obj_name,
 	}
 
 	if (ctx.mode == 0) {
-		printf("symlink %"PRIuMAX"\n%s\n",
+		printf("symlink %"PRIuMAX"%c%s%c",
 		       (uintmax_t)ctx.symlink_path.len,
-		       ctx.symlink_path.buf);
+		       opt->output_delim, ctx.symlink_path.buf, opt->output_delim);
 		fflush(stdout);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -913,6 +918,7 @@ int cmd_cat_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	struct batch_options batch = {0};
 	int unknown_type = 0;
 	int input_nul_terminated = 0;
+	int nul_terminated = 0;
 
 	const char * const usage[] = {
 		N_("git cat-file <type> <object>"),
@@ -920,7 +926,7 @@ int cmd_cat_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		N_("git cat-file (-t | -s) [--allow-unknown-type] <object>"),
 		N_("git cat-file (--batch | --batch-check | --batch-command) [--batch-all-objects]\n"
 		   "             [--buffer] [--follow-symlinks] [--unordered]\n"
-		   "             [--textconv | --filters] [-z]"),
+		   "             [--textconv | --filters] [-Z]"),
 		N_("git cat-file (--textconv | --filters)\n"
 		   "             [<rev>:<path|tree-ish> | --path=<path|tree-ish> <rev>]"),
 		NULL
@@ -949,7 +955,9 @@ int cmd_cat_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			N_("like --batch, but don't emit <contents>"),
 			PARSE_OPT_OPTARG | PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
 			batch_option_callback),
-		OPT_BOOL('z', NULL, &input_nul_terminated, N_("stdin is NUL-terminated")),
+		OPT_BOOL_F('z', NULL, &input_nul_terminated, N_("stdin is NUL-terminated"),
+			PARSE_OPT_HIDDEN),
+		OPT_BOOL('Z', NULL, &nul_terminated, N_("stdin and stdout is NUL-terminated")),
 		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "batch-command", &batch, N_("format"),
 			N_("read commands from stdin"),
 			PARSE_OPT_OPTARG | PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
@@ -1011,8 +1019,15 @@ int cmd_cat_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	else if (input_nul_terminated)
 		usage_msg_optf(_("'%s' requires a batch mode"), usage, options,
 			       "-z");
+	else if (nul_terminated)
+		usage_msg_optf(_("'%s' requires a batch mode"), usage, options,
+			       "-Z");
 
-	batch.input_delim = input_nul_terminated ? '\0' : '\n';
+	batch.input_delim = batch.output_delim = '\n';
+	if (input_nul_terminated)
+		batch.input_delim = '\0';
+	if (nul_terminated)
+		batch.input_delim = batch.output_delim = '\0';
 
 	/* Batch defaults */
 	if (batch.buffer_output < 0)
diff --git a/t/t1006-cat-file.sh b/t/t1006-cat-file.sh
index 7b985cfded..d73a0be1b9 100755
--- a/t/t1006-cat-file.sh
+++ b/t/t1006-cat-file.sh
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ done
 for opt in --buffer \
 	--follow-symlinks \
 	--batch-all-objects \
-	-z
+	-z \
+	-Z
 do
 	test_expect_success "usage: bad option combination: $opt without batch mode" '
 		test_incompatible_usage git cat-file $opt &&
@@ -392,17 +393,18 @@ deadbeef
 
 "
 
-batch_output="$hello_sha1 blob $hello_size
-$hello_content
-$commit_sha1 commit $commit_size
-$commit_content
-$tag_sha1 tag $tag_size
-$tag_content
-deadbeef missing
- missing"
+printf "%s\0" \
+	"$hello_sha1 blob $hello_size" \
+	"$hello_content" \
+	"$commit_sha1 commit $commit_size" \
+	"$commit_content" \
+	"$tag_sha1 tag $tag_size" \
+	"$tag_content" \
+	"deadbeef missing" \
+	" missing" >batch_output
 
 test_expect_success '--batch with multiple sha1s gives correct format' '
-	echo "$batch_output" >expect &&
+	tr "\0" "\n" <batch_output >expect &&
 	echo_without_newline "$batch_input" >in &&
 	git cat-file --batch <in >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
@@ -410,11 +412,17 @@ test_expect_success '--batch with multiple sha1s gives correct format' '
 
 test_expect_success '--batch, -z with multiple sha1s gives correct format' '
 	echo_without_newline_nul "$batch_input" >in &&
-	echo "$batch_output" >expect &&
+	tr "\0" "\n" <batch_output >expect &&
 	git cat-file --batch -z <in >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success '--batch, -Z with multiple sha1s gives correct format' '
+	echo_without_newline_nul "$batch_input" >in &&
+	git cat-file --batch -Z <in >actual &&
+	test_cmp batch_output actual
+'
+
 batch_check_input="$hello_sha1
 $tree_sha1
 $commit_sha1
@@ -423,40 +431,55 @@ deadbeef
 
 "
 
-batch_check_output="$hello_sha1 blob $hello_size
-$tree_sha1 tree $tree_size
-$commit_sha1 commit $commit_size
-$tag_sha1 tag $tag_size
-deadbeef missing
- missing"
+printf "%s\0" \
+	"$hello_sha1 blob $hello_size" \
+	"$tree_sha1 tree $tree_size" \
+	"$commit_sha1 commit $commit_size" \
+	"$tag_sha1 tag $tag_size" \
+	"deadbeef missing" \
+	" missing" >batch_check_output
 
 test_expect_success "--batch-check with multiple sha1s gives correct format" '
-	echo "$batch_check_output" >expect &&
+	tr "\0" "\n" <batch_check_output >expect &&
 	echo_without_newline "$batch_check_input" >in &&
 	git cat-file --batch-check <in >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success "--batch-check, -z with multiple sha1s gives correct format" '
-	echo "$batch_check_output" >expect &&
+	tr "\0" "\n" <batch_check_output >expect &&
 	echo_without_newline_nul "$batch_check_input" >in &&
 	git cat-file --batch-check -z <in >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
-test_expect_success FUNNYNAMES '--batch-check, -z with newline in input' '
+test_expect_success "--batch-check, -Z with multiple sha1s gives correct format" '
+	echo_without_newline_nul "$batch_check_input" >in &&
+	git cat-file --batch-check -Z <in >actual &&
+	test_cmp batch_check_output actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success FUNNYNAMES 'setup with newline in input' '
 	touch -- "newline${LF}embedded" &&
 	git add -- "newline${LF}embedded" &&
 	git commit -m "file with newline embedded" &&
 	test_tick &&
 
-	printf "HEAD:newline${LF}embedded" >in &&
-	git cat-file --batch-check -z <in >actual &&
+	printf "HEAD:newline${LF}embedded" >in
+'
 
+test_expect_success FUNNYNAMES '--batch-check, -z with newline in input' '
+	git cat-file --batch-check -z <in >actual &&
 	echo "$(git rev-parse "HEAD:newline${LF}embedded") blob 0" >expect &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success FUNNYNAMES '--batch-check, -Z with newline in input' '
+	git cat-file --batch-check -Z <in >actual &&
+	printf "%s\0" "$(git rev-parse "HEAD:newline${LF}embedded") blob 0" >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 batch_command_multiple_info="info $hello_sha1
 info $tree_sha1
 info $commit_sha1
@@ -480,7 +503,13 @@ test_expect_success '--batch-command with multiple info calls gives correct form
 	echo "$batch_command_multiple_info" | tr "\n" "\0" >in &&
 	git cat-file --batch-command --buffer -z <in >actual &&
 
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
+
+	echo "$batch_command_multiple_info" | tr "\n" "\0" >in &&
+	tr "\n" "\0" <expect >expect_nul &&
+	git cat-file --batch-command --buffer -Z <in >actual &&
+
+	test_cmp expect_nul actual
 '
 
 batch_command_multiple_contents="contents $hello_sha1
@@ -490,15 +519,15 @@ contents deadbeef
 flush"
 
 test_expect_success '--batch-command with multiple command calls gives correct format' '
-	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
-	$hello_sha1 blob $hello_size
-	$hello_content
-	$commit_sha1 commit $commit_size
-	$commit_content
-	$tag_sha1 tag $tag_size
-	$tag_content
-	deadbeef missing
-	EOF
+	printf "%s\0" \
+		"$hello_sha1 blob $hello_size" \
+		"$hello_content" \
+		"$commit_sha1 commit $commit_size" \
+		"$commit_content" \
+		"$tag_sha1 tag $tag_size" \
+		"$tag_content" \
+		"deadbeef missing" >expect_nul &&
+	tr "\0" "\n" <expect_nul >expect &&
 
 	echo "$batch_command_multiple_contents" >in &&
 	git cat-file --batch-command --buffer <in >actual &&
@@ -508,7 +537,12 @@ test_expect_success '--batch-command with multiple command calls gives correct f
 	echo "$batch_command_multiple_contents" | tr "\n" "\0" >in &&
 	git cat-file --batch-command --buffer -z <in >actual &&
 
-	test_cmp expect actual
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
+
+	echo "$batch_command_multiple_contents" | tr "\n" "\0" >in &&
+	git cat-file --batch-command --buffer -Z <in >actual &&
+
+	test_cmp expect_nul actual
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'setup blobs which are likely to delta' '
@@ -848,6 +882,13 @@ test_expect_success 'git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlinks works for brok
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlinks -Z works for broken in-repo, same-dir links' '
+	printf "HEAD:broken-same-dir-link\0" >in &&
+	printf "dangling 25\0HEAD:broken-same-dir-link\0" >expect &&
+	git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlinks -Z <in >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlinks works for same-dir links-to-links' '
 	echo HEAD:link-to-link | git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlinks >actual &&
 	test_cmp found actual
@@ -862,6 +903,15 @@ test_expect_success 'git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlinks works for pare
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlinks -Z works for parent-dir links' '
+	echo HEAD:dir/parent-dir-link | git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlinks >actual &&
+	test_cmp found actual &&
+	printf "notdir 29\0HEAD:dir/parent-dir-link/nope\0" >expect &&
+	printf "HEAD:dir/parent-dir-link/nope\0" >in &&
+	git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlinks -Z <in >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlinks works for .. links' '
 	echo dangling 22 >expect &&
 	echo HEAD:dir/link-dir/nope >>expect &&
@@ -976,6 +1026,13 @@ test_expect_success 'git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlink breaks loops' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlink -Z breaks loops' '
+	printf "loop 10\0HEAD:loop1\0" >expect &&
+	printf "HEAD:loop1\0" >in &&
+	git cat-file --batch-check --follow-symlinks -Z <in >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'git cat-file --batch --follow-symlink returns correct sha and mode' '
 	echo HEAD:morx | git cat-file --batch >expect &&
 	echo HEAD:morx | git cat-file --batch --follow-symlinks >actual &&