diff --git a/Documentation/config.txt b/Documentation/config.txt
index b82e0816cb..bc750d5794 100644
--- a/Documentation/config.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config.txt
@@ -178,6 +178,10 @@ advice.*::
 		the template shown when writing commit messages in
 		linkgit:git-commit[1], and in the help message shown
 		by linkgit:git-checkout[1] when switching branch.
+	statusUoption::
+		Advise to consider using the `-u` option to linkgit:git-status[1]
+		when the command takes more than 2 seconds to enumerate untracked
+		files.
 	commitBeforeMerge::
 		Advice shown when linkgit:git-merge[1] refuses to
 		merge to avoid overwriting local changes.
diff --git a/Documentation/git-status.txt b/Documentation/git-status.txt
index 0412c4017d..9046df98a0 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-status.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-status.txt
@@ -46,15 +46,21 @@ OPTIONS
 	Show untracked files.
 +
 The mode parameter is optional (defaults to 'all'), and is used to
-specify the handling of untracked files; when -u is not used, the
-default is 'normal', i.e. show untracked files and directories.
+specify the handling of untracked files.
 +
 The possible options are:
 +
-	- 'no'     - Show no untracked files
-	- 'normal' - Shows untracked files and directories
+	- 'no'     - Show no untracked files.
+	- 'normal' - Shows untracked files and directories.
 	- 'all'    - Also shows individual files in untracked directories.
 +
+When `-u` option is not used, untracked files and directories are
+shown (i.e. the same as specifying `normal`), to help you avoid
+forgetting to add newly created files.  Because it takes extra work
+to find untracked files in the filesystem, this mode may take some
+time in a large working tree.  You can use `no` to have `git status`
+return more quickly without showing untracked files.
++
 The default can be changed using the status.showUntrackedFiles
 configuration variable documented in linkgit:git-config[1].
 
diff --git a/advice.c b/advice.c
index 780f58da0f..3bc86260b8 100644
--- a/advice.c
+++ b/advice.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ int advice_push_already_exists = 1;
 int advice_push_fetch_first = 1;
 int advice_push_needs_force = 1;
 int advice_status_hints = 1;
+int advice_status_u_option = 1;
 int advice_commit_before_merge = 1;
 int advice_resolve_conflict = 1;
 int advice_implicit_identity = 1;
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ static struct {
 	{ "pushfetchfirst", &advice_push_fetch_first },
 	{ "pushneedsforce", &advice_push_needs_force },
 	{ "statushints", &advice_status_hints },
+	{ "statusuoption", &advice_status_u_option },
 	{ "commitbeforemerge", &advice_commit_before_merge },
 	{ "resolveconflict", &advice_resolve_conflict },
 	{ "implicitidentity", &advice_implicit_identity },
diff --git a/advice.h b/advice.h
index fad36df467..af0c983c68 100644
--- a/advice.h
+++ b/advice.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ extern int advice_push_already_exists;
 extern int advice_push_fetch_first;
 extern int advice_push_needs_force;
 extern int advice_status_hints;
+extern int advice_status_u_option;
 extern int advice_commit_before_merge;
 extern int advice_resolve_conflict;
 extern int advice_implicit_identity;
diff --git a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh
index f4f38a5e73..52ef06b000 100755
--- a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh
+++ b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ test_description='basic work tree status reporting'
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
 test_expect_success setup '
+	git config --global advice.statusuoption false &&
 	test_commit A &&
 	test_commit B oneside added &&
 	git checkout A^0 &&
diff --git a/t/t7508-status.sh b/t/t7508-status.sh
index a79c032ffd..aecb4d1e5f 100755
--- a/t/t7508-status.sh
+++ b/t/t7508-status.sh
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ test_description='git status'
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
 test_expect_success 'status -h in broken repository' '
+	git config --global advice.statusuoption false &&
 	mkdir broken &&
 	test_when_finished "rm -fr broken" &&
 	(
diff --git a/t/t7512-status-help.sh b/t/t7512-status-help.sh
index d2da89a5f5..9d4610629d 100755
--- a/t/t7512-status-help.sh
+++ b/t/t7512-status-help.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ test_description='git status advice'
 set_fake_editor
 
 test_expect_success 'prepare for conflicts' '
+	git config --global advice.statusuoption false &&
 	test_commit init main.txt init &&
 	git branch conflicts &&
 	test_commit on_master main.txt on_master &&
diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index 7555817786..54f4391f9c 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c
@@ -499,9 +499,14 @@ static void wt_status_collect_untracked(struct wt_status *s)
 {
 	int i;
 	struct dir_struct dir;
+	struct timeval t_begin;
 
 	if (!s->show_untracked_files)
 		return;
+
+	if (advice_status_u_option)
+		gettimeofday(&t_begin, NULL);
+
 	memset(&dir, 0, sizeof(dir));
 	if (s->show_untracked_files != SHOW_ALL_UNTRACKED_FILES)
 		dir.flags |=
@@ -533,6 +538,14 @@ static void wt_status_collect_untracked(struct wt_status *s)
 	}
 
 	free(dir.entries);
+
+	if (advice_status_u_option) {
+		struct timeval t_end;
+		gettimeofday(&t_end, NULL);
+		s->untracked_in_ms =
+			(uint64_t)t_end.tv_sec * 1000 + t_end.tv_usec / 1000 -
+			((uint64_t)t_begin.tv_sec * 1000 + t_begin.tv_usec / 1000);
+	}
 }
 
 void wt_status_collect(struct wt_status *s)
@@ -1100,6 +1113,18 @@ void wt_status_print(struct wt_status *s)
 		wt_status_print_other(s, &s->untracked, _("Untracked files"), "add");
 		if (s->show_ignored_files)
 			wt_status_print_other(s, &s->ignored, _("Ignored files"), "add -f");
+		if (advice_status_u_option && 2000 < s->untracked_in_ms) {
+			status_printf_ln(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL, "");
+			status_printf_ln(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL,
+				 _("It took %.2f seconds to enumerate untracked files."
+				   "  'status -uno'"),
+				 s->untracked_in_ms / 1000.0);
+			status_printf_ln(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL,
+				 _("may speed it up, but you have to be careful not"
+				   " to forget to add"));
+			status_printf_ln(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL,
+				 _("new files yourself (see 'git help status')."));
+		}
 	} else if (s->commitable)
 		status_printf_ln(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL, _("Untracked files not listed%s"),
 			advice_status_hints
diff --git a/wt-status.h b/wt-status.h
index 81e1dcf84d..74208c06fd 100644
--- a/wt-status.h
+++ b/wt-status.h
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ struct wt_status {
 	struct string_list change;
 	struct string_list untracked;
 	struct string_list ignored;
+	uint32_t untracked_in_ms;
 };
 
 struct wt_status_state {