diff --git a/Documentation/config.txt b/Documentation/config.txt
index 9f1c785b7e..4c491045c9 100644
--- a/Documentation/config.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config.txt
@@ -889,6 +889,12 @@ format.subjectprefix::
 	The default for format-patch is to output files with the '[PATCH]'
 	subject prefix. Use this variable to change that prefix.
 
+format.signature::
+	The default for format-patch is to output a signature containing
+	the git version number. Use this variable to change that default.
+	Set this variable to the empty string ("") to suppress
+	signature generation.
+
 format.suffix::
 	The default for format-patch is to output files with the suffix
 	`.patch`. Use this variable to change that suffix (make sure to
diff --git a/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt b/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
index 835fb7135b..c8c81e8437 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
 		   [--no-thread | --thread[=<style>]]
 		   [(--attach|--inline)[=<boundary>] | --no-attach]
 		   [-s | --signoff]
+		   [--signature=<signature> | --no-signature]
 		   [-n | --numbered | -N | --no-numbered]
 		   [--start-number <n>] [--numbered-files]
 		   [--in-reply-to=Message-Id] [--suffix=.<sfx>]
@@ -180,6 +181,12 @@ will want to ensure that threading is disabled for `git send-email`.
 	containing the shortlog and the overall diffstat.  You can
 	fill in a description in the file before sending it out.
 
+--[no]-signature=<signature>::
+	Add a signature to each message produced. Per RFC 3676 the signature
+	is separated from the body by a line with '-- ' on it. If the
+	signature option is omitted the signature defaults to the git version
+	number.
+
 --suffix=.<sfx>::
 	Instead of using `.patch` as the suffix for generated
 	filenames, use specified suffix.  A common alternative is
diff --git a/builtin/log.c b/builtin/log.c
index 976e16f9f2..f068583618 100644
--- a/builtin/log.c
+++ b/builtin/log.c
@@ -549,8 +549,9 @@ static void add_header(const char *value)
 
 #define THREAD_SHALLOW 1
 #define THREAD_DEEP 2
-static int thread = 0;
-static int do_signoff = 0;
+static int thread;
+static int do_signoff;
+static const char *signature = git_version_string;
 
 static int git_format_config(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
 {
@@ -609,6 +610,8 @@ static int git_format_config(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
 		do_signoff = git_config_bool(var, value);
 		return 0;
 	}
+	if (!strcmp(var, "format.signature"))
+		return git_config_string(&signature, var, value);
 
 	return git_log_config(var, value, cb);
 }
@@ -703,6 +706,12 @@ static void gen_message_id(struct rev_info *info, char *base)
 	info->message_id = strbuf_detach(&buf, NULL);
 }
 
+static void print_signature(void)
+{
+	if (signature && *signature)
+		printf("-- \n%s\n\n", signature);
+}
+
 static void make_cover_letter(struct rev_info *rev, int use_stdout,
 			      int numbered, int numbered_files,
 			      struct commit *origin,
@@ -796,6 +805,7 @@ static void make_cover_letter(struct rev_info *rev, int use_stdout,
 	diff_flush(&opts);
 
 	printf("\n");
+	print_signature();
 }
 
 static const char *clean_message_id(const char *msg_id)
@@ -1035,6 +1045,8 @@ int cmd_format_patch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		{ OPTION_CALLBACK, 0, "thread", &thread, "style",
 			    "enable message threading, styles: shallow, deep",
 			    PARSE_OPT_OPTARG, thread_callback },
+		OPT_STRING(0, "signature", &signature, "signature",
+			    "add a signature"),
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
@@ -1313,7 +1325,7 @@ int cmd_format_patch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 				       mime_boundary_leader,
 				       rev.mime_boundary);
 			else
-				printf("-- \n%s\n\n", git_version_string);
+				print_signature();
 		}
 		if (!use_stdout)
 			fclose(stdout);
diff --git a/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash b/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
index aebb0b6890..14874377af 100755
--- a/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
+++ b/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
@@ -1052,7 +1052,7 @@ _git_format_patch ()
 			--numbered --start-number
 			--numbered-files
 			--keep-subject
-			--signoff
+			--signoff --signature --no-signature
 			--in-reply-to= --cc=
 			--full-index --binary
 			--not --all
@@ -1726,6 +1726,7 @@ _git_config ()
 		format.headers
 		format.numbered
 		format.pretty
+		format.signature
 		format.signoff
 		format.subjectprefix
 		format.suffix
diff --git a/t/t4013/diff.format-patch_--stdout_--cover-letter_-n_initial..master^ b/t/t4013/diff.format-patch_--stdout_--cover-letter_-n_initial..master^
index 8dab4bf93e..1f0f9ad44b 100644
--- a/t/t4013/diff.format-patch_--stdout_--cover-letter_-n_initial..master^
+++ b/t/t4013/diff.format-patch_--stdout_--cover-letter_-n_initial..master^
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ A U Thor (2):
  create mode 100644 file1
  delete mode 100644 file2
 
+-- 
+g-i-t--v-e-r-s-i-o-n
+
 From 1bde4ae5f36c8d9abe3a0fce0c6aab3c4a12fe44 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
 From: A U Thor <author@example.com>
 Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 00:01:00 +0000
diff --git a/t/t4014-format-patch.sh b/t/t4014-format-patch.sh
index d21c37f3a2..f87434b9f8 100755
--- a/t/t4014-format-patch.sh
+++ b/t/t4014-format-patch.sh
@@ -613,4 +613,56 @@ test_expect_success 'format-patch --ignore-if-in-upstream HEAD' '
 	git format-patch --ignore-if-in-upstream HEAD
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --signature' '
+	git format-patch --stdout --signature="my sig" -1 >output &&
+	grep "my sig" output
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch with format.signature config' '
+	git config format.signature "config sig" &&
+	git format-patch --stdout -1 >output &&
+	grep "config sig" output
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --signature overrides format.signature' '
+	git config format.signature "config sig" &&
+	git format-patch --stdout --signature="overrides" -1 >output &&
+	! grep "config sig" output &&
+	grep "overrides" output
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --no-signature ignores format.signature' '
+	git config format.signature "config sig" &&
+	git format-patch --stdout --signature="my sig" --no-signature \
+		-1 >output &&
+	! grep "config sig" output &&
+	! grep "my sig" output &&
+	! grep "^-- \$" output
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --signature --cover-letter' '
+	git config --unset-all format.signature &&
+	git format-patch --stdout --signature="my sig" --cover-letter \
+		-1 >output &&
+	grep "my sig" output &&
+	test 2 = $(grep "my sig" output | wc -l)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format.signature="" supresses signatures' '
+	git config format.signature "" &&
+	git format-patch --stdout -1 >output &&
+	! grep "^-- \$" output
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --no-signature supresses signatures' '
+	git config --unset-all format.signature &&
+	git format-patch --stdout --no-signature -1 >output &&
+	! grep "^-- \$" output
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --signature="" supresses signatures' '
+	git format-patch --signature="" -1 >output &&
+	! grep "^-- \$" output
+'
+
 test_done