diff --git a/builtin-grep.c b/builtin-grep.c
index 362122c432..26979577d3 100644
--- a/builtin-grep.c
+++ b/builtin-grep.c
@@ -868,6 +868,16 @@ int cmd_grep(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			     PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION |
 			     PARSE_OPT_NO_INTERNAL_HELP);
 
+	/*
+	 * skip a -- separator; we know it cannot be
+	 * separating revisions from pathnames if
+	 * we haven't even had any patterns yet
+	 */
+	if (argc > 0 && !opt.pattern_list && !strcmp(argv[0], "--")) {
+		argv++;
+		argc--;
+	}
+
 	/* First unrecognized non-option token */
 	if (argc > 0 && !opt.pattern_list) {
 		append_grep_pattern(&opt, argv[0], "command line", 0,
diff --git a/t/t7002-grep.sh b/t/t7002-grep.sh
index 7144f815c0..0b583cbfc1 100755
--- a/t/t7002-grep.sh
+++ b/t/t7002-grep.sh
@@ -434,4 +434,37 @@ test_expect_success 'grep -Fi' '
 	test_cmp expected actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'setup double-dash tests' '
+cat >double-dash <<EOF &&
+--
+->
+other
+EOF
+git add double-dash
+'
+
+cat >expected <<EOF
+double-dash:->
+EOF
+test_expect_success 'grep -- pattern' '
+	git grep -- "->" >actual &&
+	test_cmp expected actual
+'
+test_expect_success 'grep -- pattern -- pathspec' '
+	git grep -- "->" -- double-dash >actual &&
+	test_cmp expected actual
+'
+test_expect_success 'grep -e pattern -- path' '
+	git grep -e "->" -- double-dash >actual &&
+	test_cmp expected actual
+'
+
+cat >expected <<EOF
+double-dash:--
+EOF
+test_expect_success 'grep -e -- -- path' '
+	git grep -e -- -- double-dash >actual &&
+	test_cmp expected actual
+'
+
 test_done