diff --git a/Documentation/git-prune.txt b/Documentation/git-prune.txt
index a11e303094..fbd344da40 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-prune.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-prune.txt
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ git-prune - Prunes all unreachable objects from the object database
 
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
-'git-prune' [-n] [--] [<head>...]
+'git-prune' [-n] [--grace=<time>]
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ OPTIONS
 	Do not remove anything; just report what it would
 	remove.
 
+--grace=<time>::
+	Do not prune loose objects that are younger than the
+	specified time.  This gives a grace period to newly
+	created objects from getting pruned.
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////
 \--::
 	Do not interpret any more arguments as options.
 
@@ -46,6 +52,7 @@ borrows from your repository via its
 ------------
 $ git prune $(cd ../another && $(git-rev-parse --all))
 ------------
+////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 Author
 ------
diff --git a/builtin-prune.c b/builtin-prune.c
index 6f0ba0d04d..7929af1aac 100644
--- a/builtin-prune.c
+++ b/builtin-prune.c
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "reachable.h"
 
-static const char prune_usage[] = "git-prune [-n]";
+static const char prune_usage[] = "git-prune [-n] [--grace=time]";
 static int show_only;
+static int prune_grace_period;
 
 static int prune_object(char *path, const char *filename, const unsigned char *sha1)
 {
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ static int prune_dir(int i, char *path)
 		char name[100];
 		unsigned char sha1[20];
 		int len = strlen(de->d_name);
+		struct stat st;
 
 		switch (len) {
 		case 2:
@@ -60,6 +62,11 @@ static int prune_dir(int i, char *path)
 			if (lookup_object(sha1))
 				continue;
 
+			if (prune_grace_period > 0 &&
+			    !stat(mkpath("%s/%s", path, de->d_name), &st) &&
+			    st.st_mtime > prune_grace_period)
+				continue;
+
 			prune_object(path, de->d_name, sha1);
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -79,10 +86,25 @@ static void prune_object_dir(const char *path)
 	}
 }
 
+static int git_prune_config(const char *var, const char *value)
+{
+	if (!strcmp(var, "gc.prunegrace")) {
+		if (!strcmp(value, "off"))
+			prune_grace_period = 0;
+		else
+			prune_grace_period = approxidate(value);
+		return 0;
+	}
+	return git_default_config(var, value);
+}
+
 int cmd_prune(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int i;
 	struct rev_info revs;
+	prune_grace_period = time(NULL)-24*60*60;
+
+	git_config(git_prune_config);
 
 	for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
 		const char *arg = argv[i];
@@ -90,6 +112,13 @@ int cmd_prune(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			show_only = 1;
 			continue;
 		}
+		if (!strncmp(arg, "--grace=", 8)) {
+			if (!strcmp(arg+8, "off"))
+				prune_grace_period = 0;
+			else
+				prune_grace_period = approxidate(arg+8);
+			continue;
+		}
 		usage(prune_usage);
 	}
 
diff --git a/t/t1410-reflog.sh b/t/t1410-reflog.sh
index 8e8d526ef2..0c435f9574 100755
--- a/t/t1410-reflog.sh
+++ b/t/t1410-reflog.sh
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 
 	check_have A B C D E F G H I J K L &&
 
-	git prune &&
+	git prune --grace=off &&
 
 	check_have A B C D E F G H I J K L &&
 
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ test_expect_success rewind '
 
 	check_have A B C D E F G H I J K L &&
 
-	git prune &&
+	git prune --grace=off &&
 
 	check_have A B C D E F G H I J K L &&
 
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ test_expect_success 'reflog expire' '
 
 test_expect_success 'prune and fsck' '
 
-	git prune &&
+	git prune --grace=off &&
 	check_fsck &&
 
 	check_have A B C D E H L &&
diff --git a/t/t5400-send-pack.sh b/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
index 2c151912a3..2a55d5ae32 100755
--- a/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
+++ b/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
@@ -55,13 +55,13 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 
 test_expect_success 'pack the source repository' '
 	git repack -a -d &&
-	git prune
+	git prune --grace=off
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'pack the destination repository' '
 	cd victim &&
 	git repack -a -d &&
-	git prune &&
+	git prune --grace=off &&
 	cd ..
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t5700-clone-reference.sh b/t/t5700-clone-reference.sh
index dd9caad1c2..ab00e8fb6a 100755
--- a/t/t5700-clone-reference.sh
+++ b/t/t5700-clone-reference.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ echo second > file2 &&
 git add file2 &&
 git commit -m addition &&
 git repack -a -d &&
-git prune'
+git prune --grace=off'
 
 cd "$base_dir"
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ echo third > file3 &&
 git add file3 &&
 git commit -m update &&
 git repack -a -d &&
-git prune'
+git prune --grace=off'
 
 cd "$base_dir"
 
diff --git a/t/t5710-info-alternate.sh b/t/t5710-info-alternate.sh
index b9f6d96363..c30fee81f5 100755
--- a/t/t5710-info-alternate.sh
+++ b/t/t5710-info-alternate.sh
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ echo "Hello World" > file1 &&
 git add file1 &&
 git commit -m "Initial commit" file1 &&
 git repack -a -d &&
-git prune'
+git prune --grace=off'
 
 cd "$base_dir"
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ echo "foo bar" > file2 &&
 git add file2 &&
 git commit -m "next commit" file2 &&
 git repack -a -d -l &&
-git prune'
+git prune --grace=off'
 
 cd "$base_dir"
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ echo "Goodbye, cruel world" > file3 &&
 git add file3 &&
 git commit -m "one more" file3 &&
 git repack -a -d -l &&
-git prune'
+git prune --grace=off'
 
 cd "$base_dir"
 
