diff --git a/Documentation/config.txt b/Documentation/config.txt
index b4d4887bd7..8d6859fa65 100644
--- a/Documentation/config.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config.txt
@@ -1844,39 +1844,59 @@ pull.twohead::
 	The default merge strategy to use when pulling a single branch.
 
 push.default::
-	Defines the action `git push` should take if no refspec is given
-	on the command line, no refspec is configured in the remote, and
-	no refspec is implied by any of the options given on the command
-	line. Possible values are:
+	Defines the action `git push` should take if no refspec is
+	explicitly given.  Different values are well-suited for
+	specific workflows; for instance, in a purely central workflow
+	(i.e. the fetch source is equal to the push destination),
+	`upstream` is probably what you want.  Possible values are:
 +
 --
-* `nothing` - do not push anything.
-* `matching` - push all branches having the same name in both ends.
-  This is for those who prepare all the branches into a publishable
-  shape and then push them out with a single command.  It is not
-  appropriate for pushing into a repository shared by multiple users,
-  since locally stalled branches will attempt a non-fast forward push
-  if other users updated the branch.
-  +
-  This is currently the default, but Git 2.0 will change the default
-  to `simple`.
-* `upstream` - push the current branch to its upstream branch
-  (`tracking` is a deprecated synonym for this).
-  With this, `git push` will update the same remote ref as the one which
-  is merged by `git pull`, making `push` and `pull` symmetrical.
-  See "branch.<name>.merge" for how to configure the upstream branch.
-* `simple` - like `upstream`, but refuses to push if the upstream
-  branch's name is different from the local one. This is the safest
-  option and is well-suited for beginners. It will become the default
-  in Git 2.0.
-* `current` - push the current branch to a branch of the same name.
---
+
+* `nothing` - do not push anything (error out) unless a refspec is
+  explicitly given. This is primarily meant for people who want to
+  avoid mistakes by always being explicit.
+
+* `current` - push the current branch to update a branch with the same
+  name on the receiving end.  Works in both central and non-central
+  workflows.
+
+* `upstream` - push the current branch back to the branch whose
+  changes are usually integrated into the current branch (which is
+  called `@{upstream}`).  This mode only makes sense if you are
+  pushing to the same repository you would normally pull from
+  (i.e. central workflow).
+
+* `simple` - in centralized workflow, work like `upstream` with an
+  added safety to refuse to push if the upstream branch's name is
+  different from the local one.
 +
-The `simple`, `current` and `upstream` modes are for those who want to
-push out a single branch after finishing work, even when the other
-branches are not yet ready to be pushed out. If you are working with
-other people to push into the same shared repository, you would want
-to use one of these.
+When pushing to a remote that is different from the remote you normally
+pull from, work as `current`.  This is the safest option and is suited
+for beginners.
++
+This mode will become the default in Git 2.0.
+
+* `matching` - push all branches having the same name on both ends.
+  This makes the repository you are pushing to remember the set of
+  branches that will be pushed out (e.g. if you always push 'maint'
+  and 'master' there and no other branches, the repository you push
+  to will have these two branches, and your local 'maint' and
+  'master' will be pushed there).
++
+To use this mode effectively, you have to make sure _all_ the
+branches you would push out are ready to be pushed out before
+running 'git push', as the whole point of this mode is to allow you
+to push all of the branches in one go.  If you usually finish work
+on only one branch and push out the result, while other branches are
+unfinished, this mode is not for you.  Also this mode is not
+suitable for pushing into a shared central repository, as other
+people may add new branches there, or update the tip of existing
+branches outside your control.
++
+This is currently the default, but Git 2.0 will change the default
+to `simple`.
+
+--
 
 rebase.stat::
 	Whether to show a diffstat of what changed upstream since the last
diff --git a/builtin/push.c b/builtin/push.c
index 2d84d10720..a2580a94f5 100644
--- a/builtin/push.c
+++ b/builtin/push.c
@@ -120,10 +120,11 @@ static const char message_detached_head_die[] =
 	   "\n"
 	   "    git push %s HEAD:<name-of-remote-branch>\n");
 
-static void setup_push_upstream(struct remote *remote, int simple)
+static void setup_push_upstream(struct remote *remote, struct branch *branch,
+				int triangular)
 {
 	struct strbuf refspec = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct branch *branch = branch_get(NULL);
+
 	if (!branch)
 		die(_(message_detached_head_die), remote->name);
 	if (!branch->merge_nr || !branch->merge || !branch->remote_name)
@@ -137,18 +138,29 @@ static void setup_push_upstream(struct remote *remote, int simple)
 	if (branch->merge_nr != 1)
 		die(_("The current branch %s has multiple upstream branches, "
 		    "refusing to push."), branch->name);
-	if (strcmp(branch->remote_name, remote->name))
+	if (triangular)
 		die(_("You are pushing to remote '%s', which is not the upstream of\n"
 		      "your current branch '%s', without telling me what to push\n"
 		      "to update which remote branch."),
 		    remote->name, branch->name);
-	if (simple && strcmp(branch->refname, branch->merge[0]->src))
-		die_push_simple(branch, remote);
+
+	if (push_default == PUSH_DEFAULT_SIMPLE) {
+		/* Additional safety */
+		if (strcmp(branch->refname, branch->merge[0]->src))
+			die_push_simple(branch, remote);
+	}
 
 	strbuf_addf(&refspec, "%s:%s", branch->name, branch->merge[0]->src);
 	add_refspec(refspec.buf);
 }
 
+static void setup_push_current(struct remote *remote, struct branch *branch)
+{
+	if (!branch)
+		die(_(message_detached_head_die), remote->name);
+	add_refspec(branch->name);
+}
+
 static char warn_unspecified_push_default_msg[] =
 N_("push.default is unset; its implicit value is changing in\n"
    "Git 2.0 from 'matching' to 'simple'. To squelch this message\n"
@@ -173,9 +185,16 @@ static void warn_unspecified_push_default_configuration(void)
 	warning("%s\n", _(warn_unspecified_push_default_msg));
 }
 
+static int is_workflow_triangular(struct remote *remote)
+{
+	struct remote *fetch_remote = remote_get(NULL);
+	return (fetch_remote && fetch_remote != remote);
+}
+
 static void setup_default_push_refspecs(struct remote *remote)
 {
-	struct branch *branch;
+	struct branch *branch = branch_get(NULL);
+	int triangular = is_workflow_triangular(remote);
 
 	switch (push_default) {
 	default:
@@ -188,18 +207,18 @@ static void setup_default_push_refspecs(struct remote *remote)
 		break;
 
 	case PUSH_DEFAULT_SIMPLE:
-		setup_push_upstream(remote, 1);
+		if (triangular)
+			setup_push_current(remote, branch);
+		else
+			setup_push_upstream(remote, branch, triangular);
 		break;
 
 	case PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM:
-		setup_push_upstream(remote, 0);
+		setup_push_upstream(remote, branch, triangular);
 		break;
 
 	case PUSH_DEFAULT_CURRENT:
-		branch = branch_get(NULL);
-		if (!branch)
-			die(_(message_detached_head_die), remote->name);
-		add_refspec(branch->name);
+		setup_push_current(remote, branch);
 		break;
 
 	case PUSH_DEFAULT_NOTHING:
diff --git a/t/t5528-push-default.sh b/t/t5528-push-default.sh
index 4736da8f36..6a5ac3add4 100755
--- a/t/t5528-push-default.sh
+++ b/t/t5528-push-default.sh
@@ -15,17 +15,19 @@ test_expect_success 'setup bare remotes' '
 
 # $1 = local revision
 # $2 = remote revision (tested to be equal to the local one)
+# $3 = [optional] repo to check for actual output (repo1 by default)
 check_pushed_commit () {
 	git log -1 --format='%h %s' "$1" >expect &&
-	git --git-dir=repo1 log -1 --format='%h %s' "$2" >actual &&
+	git --git-dir="${3:-repo1}" log -1 --format='%h %s' "$2" >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 }
 
 # $1 = push.default value
 # $2 = expected target branch for the push
+# $3 = [optional] repo to check for actual output (repo1 by default)
 test_push_success () {
 	git -c push.default="$1" push &&
-	check_pushed_commit HEAD "$2"
+	check_pushed_commit HEAD "$2" "$3"
 }
 
 # $1 = push.default value
@@ -37,6 +39,26 @@ test_push_failure () {
 	test_cmp expect actual
 }
 
+# $1 = success or failure
+# $2 = push.default value
+# $3 = branch to check for actual output (master or foo)
+# $4 = [optional] switch to triangular workflow
+test_pushdefault_workflow () {
+	workflow=central
+	pushdefault=parent1
+	if test -n "${4-}"; then
+		workflow=triangular
+		pushdefault=parent2
+	fi
+	test_expect_success "push.default = $2 $1 in $workflow workflows" "
+		test_config branch.master.remote parent1 &&
+		test_config branch.master.merge refs/heads/foo &&
+		test_config remote.pushdefault $pushdefault &&
+		test_commit commit-for-$2${4+-triangular} &&
+		test_push_$1 $2 $3 ${4+repo2}
+	"
+}
+
 test_expect_success '"upstream" pushes to configured upstream' '
 	git checkout master &&
 	test_config branch.master.remote parent1 &&
@@ -48,7 +70,6 @@ test_expect_success '"upstream" pushes to configured upstream' '
 test_expect_success '"upstream" does not push on unconfigured remote' '
 	git checkout master &&
 	test_unconfig branch.master.remote &&
-	test_config push.default upstream &&
 	test_commit three &&
 	test_push_failure upstream
 '
@@ -57,7 +78,6 @@ test_expect_success '"upstream" does not push on unconfigured branch' '
 	git checkout master &&
 	test_config branch.master.remote parent1 &&
 	test_unconfig branch.master.merge &&
-	test_config push.default upstream
 	test_commit four &&
 	test_push_failure upstream
 '
@@ -115,4 +135,41 @@ test_expect_success 'push to existing branch, upstream configured with different
 	test_cmp expect-other-name actual-other-name
 '
 
+# We are on 'master', which integrates with 'foo' from parent1
+# remote (set in test_pushdefault_workflow helper).  Push to
+# parent1 in centralized, and push to parent2 in triangular workflow.
+# The parent1 repository has 'master' and 'foo' branches, while
+# the parent2 repository has only 'master' branch.
+#
+# test_pushdefault_workflow() arguments:
+# $1 = success or failure
+# $2 = push.default value
+# $3 = branch to check for actual output (master or foo)
+# $4 = [optional] switch to triangular workflow
+
+# update parent1's master (which is not our upstream)
+test_pushdefault_workflow success current master
+
+# update parent1's foo (which is our upstream)
+test_pushdefault_workflow success upstream foo
+
+# upsream is foo which is not the name of the current branch
+test_pushdefault_workflow failure simple master
+
+# master and foo are updated
+test_pushdefault_workflow success matching master
+
+# master is updated
+test_pushdefault_workflow success current master triangular
+
+# upstream mode cannot be used in triangular
+test_pushdefault_workflow failure upstream foo triangular
+
+# in triangular, 'simple' works as 'current' and update the branch
+# with the same name.
+test_pushdefault_workflow success simple master triangular
+
+# master is updated (parent2 does not have foo)
+test_pushdefault_workflow success matching master triangular
+
 test_done