diff --git a/builtin-remote.c b/builtin-remote.c
index 98ff1b727e..ca3bf265a9 100644
--- a/builtin-remote.c
+++ b/builtin-remote.c
@@ -474,24 +474,65 @@ cleanup_states:
 	return result;
 }
 
-static int update_one(struct remote *remote, void *priv)
+static int get_one_remote_for_update(struct remote *remote, void *priv)
 {
+	struct path_list *list = priv;
 	if (!remote->skip_default_update)
-		return fetch_remote(remote->name);
+		path_list_append(xstrdup(remote->name), list);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+struct remote_group {
+	const char *name;
+	struct path_list *list;
+} remote_group;
+
+static int get_remote_group(const char *key, const char *value)
+{
+	if (!prefixcmp(key, "remotes.") &&
+			!strcmp(key + 8, remote_group.name)) {
+		/* split list by white space */
+		int space = strcspn(value, " \t\n");
+		while (*value) {
+			if (space > 1)
+				path_list_append(xstrndup(value, space),
+						remote_group.list);
+			value += space + (value[space] != '\0');
+			space = strcspn(value, " \t\n");
+		}
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
 static int update(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
-	int i;
+	int i, result = 0;
+	struct path_list list = { NULL, 0, 0, 0 };
+	static const char *default_argv[] = { NULL, "default", NULL };
 
-	if (argc < 2)
-		return for_each_remote(update_one, NULL);
+	if (argc < 2) {
+		argc = 2;
+		argv = default_argv;
+	}
 
-	for (i = 1; i < argc; i++)
-		if (fetch_remote(argv[i]))
-			return 1;
-	return 0;
+	remote_group.list = &list;
+	for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
+		remote_group.name = argv[i];
+		result = git_config(get_remote_group);
+	}
+
+	if (!result && !list.nr  && argc == 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "default"))
+		result = for_each_remote(get_one_remote_for_update, &list);
+
+	for (i = 0; i < list.nr; i++)
+		result |= fetch_remote(list.items[i].path);
+
+	/* all names were strdup()ed or strndup()ed */
+	list.strdup_paths = 1;
+	path_list_clear(&list, 0);
+
+	return result;
 }
 
 static int get_one_entry(struct remote *remote, void *priv)
diff --git a/t/t5505-remote.sh b/t/t5505-remote.sh
index 0a25c8b71c..f45ea68f63 100755
--- a/t/t5505-remote.sh
+++ b/t/t5505-remote.sh
@@ -10,10 +10,12 @@ setup_repository () {
 	git init &&
 	>file &&
 	git add file &&
+	test_tick &&
 	git commit -m "Initial" &&
 	git checkout -b side &&
 	>elif &&
 	git add elif &&
+	test_tick &&
 	git commit -m "Second" &&
 	git checkout master
 	)
@@ -113,6 +115,7 @@ test_expect_success 'show' '
 	 git branch -d -r origin/master &&
 	 (cd ../one &&
 	  echo 1 > file &&
+	  test_tick &&
 	  git commit -m update file) &&
 	 git remote show origin > output &&
 	 git diff expect output)
@@ -144,4 +147,93 @@ test_expect_success 'add --mirror && prune' '
 	 git rev-parse --verify refs/heads/side)
 '
 
+cat > one/expect << EOF
+  apis/master
+  apis/side
+  drosophila/another
+  drosophila/master
+  drosophila/side
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'update' '
+
+	(cd one &&
+	 git remote add drosophila ../two &&
+	 git remote add apis ../mirror &&
+	 git remote update &&
+	 git branch -r > output &&
+	 git diff expect output)
+
+'
+
+cat > one/expect << EOF
+  drosophila/another
+  drosophila/master
+  drosophila/side
+  manduca/master
+  manduca/side
+  megaloprepus/master
+  megaloprepus/side
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'update with arguments' '
+
+	(cd one &&
+	 for b in $(git branch -r)
+	 do
+		git branch -r -d $b || break
+	 done &&
+	 git remote add manduca ../mirror &&
+	 git remote add megaloprepus ../mirror &&
+	 git config remotes.phobaeticus "drosophila megaloprepus" &&
+	 git config remotes.titanus manduca &&
+	 git remote update phobaeticus titanus &&
+	 git branch -r > output &&
+	 git diff expect output)
+
+'
+
+cat > one/expect << EOF
+  apis/master
+  apis/side
+  manduca/master
+  manduca/side
+  megaloprepus/master
+  megaloprepus/side
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'update default' '
+
+	(cd one &&
+	 for b in $(git branch -r)
+	 do
+		git branch -r -d $b || break
+	 done &&
+	 git config remote.drosophila.skipDefaultUpdate true &&
+	 git remote update default &&
+	 git branch -r > output &&
+	 git diff expect output)
+
+'
+
+cat > one/expect << EOF
+  drosophila/another
+  drosophila/master
+  drosophila/side
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'update default (overridden, with funny whitespace)' '
+
+	(cd one &&
+	 for b in $(git branch -r)
+	 do
+		git branch -r -d $b || break
+	 done &&
+	 git config remotes.default "$(printf "\t drosophila  \n")" &&
+	 git remote update default &&
+	 git branch -r > output &&
+	 git diff expect output)
+
+'
+
 test_done