diff --git a/apply.c b/apply.c
index 31227fbe59..f00b7ba4d3 100644
--- a/apply.c
+++ b/apply.c
@@ -47,11 +47,17 @@ struct gitdiff_data {
 	int p_value;
 };
 
-static void git_apply_config(void)
+static void git_apply_config(struct repository *repo)
 {
-	repo_config_get_string(the_repository, "apply.whitespace", &apply_default_whitespace);
-	repo_config_get_string(the_repository, "apply.ignorewhitespace", &apply_default_ignorewhitespace);
-	repo_config(the_repository, git_xmerge_config, NULL);
+	struct repo_config_values *cfg = repo_config_values(repo);
+
+	FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->apply_default_whitespace);
+	repo_config_get_string(repo, "apply.whitespace",
+			       &cfg->apply_default_whitespace);
+	FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->apply_default_ignorewhitespace);
+	repo_config_get_string(repo, "apply.ignorewhitespace",
+			       &cfg->apply_default_ignorewhitespace);
+	repo_config(repo, git_xmerge_config, NULL);
 }
 
 static int parse_whitespace_option(struct apply_state *state, const char *option)
@@ -109,6 +115,8 @@ int init_apply_state(struct apply_state *state,
 		     struct repository *repo,
 		     const char *prefix)
 {
+	struct repo_config_values *cfg = repo_config_values(repo);
+
 	memset(state, 0, sizeof(*state));
 	state->prefix = prefix;
 	state->repo = repo;
@@ -126,10 +134,13 @@ int init_apply_state(struct apply_state *state,
 	strset_init(&state->kept_symlinks);
 	strbuf_init(&state->root, 0);
 
-	git_apply_config();
-	if (apply_default_whitespace && parse_whitespace_option(state, apply_default_whitespace))
+	git_apply_config(repo);
+
+	if (cfg->apply_default_whitespace &&
+	    parse_whitespace_option(state, cfg->apply_default_whitespace))
 		return -1;
-	if (apply_default_ignorewhitespace && parse_ignorewhitespace_option(state, apply_default_ignorewhitespace))
+	if (cfg->apply_default_ignorewhitespace &&
+	    parse_ignorewhitespace_option(state, cfg->apply_default_ignorewhitespace))
 		return -1;
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -192,7 +203,8 @@ int check_apply_state(struct apply_state *state, int force_apply)
 
 static void set_default_whitespace_mode(struct apply_state *state)
 {
-	if (!state->whitespace_option && !apply_default_whitespace)
+	if (!state->whitespace_option &&
+	    !repo_config_values(state->repo)->apply_default_whitespace)
 		state->ws_error_action = (state->apply ? warn_on_ws_error : nowarn_ws_error);
 }
 
diff --git a/branch.c b/branch.c
index 4f38905bad..3a12e2a9eb 100644
--- a/branch.c
+++ b/branch.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ static int find_tracked_branch(struct remote *remote, void *priv)
 
 static int should_setup_rebase(const char *origin)
 {
-	switch (autorebase) {
+	switch (repo_config_values(the_repository)->autorebase) {
 	case AUTOREBASE_NEVER:
 		return 0;
 	case AUTOREBASE_LOCAL:
diff --git a/builtin/push.c b/builtin/push.c
index 8ccdb07c40..2377b5af55 100644
--- a/builtin/push.c
+++ b/builtin/push.c
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ static void refspec_append_mapped(struct refspec *refspec, const char *ref,
 				  struct remote *remote, struct ref *matched)
 {
 	const char *branch_name;
+	struct repo_config_values *cfg = repo_config_values(the_repository);
 
 	if (remote->push.nr) {
 		struct refspec_item query = {
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ static void refspec_append_mapped(struct refspec *refspec, const char *ref,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (push_default == PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM &&
+	if (cfg->push_default == PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM &&
 	    skip_prefix(matched->name, "refs/heads/", &branch_name)) {
 		struct branch *branch = branch_get(branch_name);
 		if (branch->merge_nr == 1 && branch->merge[0]->src) {
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@ static NORETURN void die_push_simple(struct branch *branch,
 	 * Don't show advice for people who explicitly set
 	 * push.default.
 	 */
-	if (push_default == PUSH_DEFAULT_UNSPECIFIED)
+	if (cfg->push_default == PUSH_DEFAULT_UNSPECIFIED)
 		advice_pushdefault_maybe = _("\n"
 				 "To choose either option permanently, "
 				 "see push.default in 'git help config'.\n");
@@ -232,8 +233,9 @@ static void setup_default_push_refspecs(int *flags, struct remote *remote)
 	struct branch *branch;
 	const char *dst;
 	int same_remote;
+	struct repo_config_values *cfg = repo_config_values(the_repository);
 
-	switch (push_default) {
+	switch (cfg->push_default) {
 	case PUSH_DEFAULT_MATCHING:
 		refspec_append(&rs, ":");
 		return;
@@ -253,7 +255,7 @@ static void setup_default_push_refspecs(int *flags, struct remote *remote)
 	dst = branch->refname;
 	same_remote = !strcmp(remote->name, remote_for_branch(branch, NULL));
 
-	switch (push_default) {
+	switch (cfg->push_default) {
 	default:
 	case PUSH_DEFAULT_UNSPECIFIED:
 	case PUSH_DEFAULT_SIMPLE:
diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
index 1094d7be3c..95d8a1cce9 100644
--- a/dir.c
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -3481,11 +3481,11 @@ static GIT_PATH_FUNC(git_path_info_exclude, "info/exclude")
 
 void setup_standard_excludes(struct dir_struct *dir)
 {
+	const char *excludes_file = repo_excludes_file(the_repository);
+
 	dir->exclude_per_dir = ".gitignore";
 
 	/* core.excludesfile defaulting to $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/git/ignore */
-	if (!excludes_file)
-		excludes_file = xdg_config_home("ignore");
 	if (excludes_file && !access_or_warn(excludes_file, R_OK, 0))
 		add_patterns_from_file_1(dir, excludes_file,
 					 dir->untracked ? &dir->internal.ss_excludes_file : NULL);
diff --git a/editor.c b/editor.c
index fd174e6a03..0d1cb8768d 100644
--- a/editor.c
+++ b/editor.c
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ const char *git_editor(void)
 	const char *editor = getenv("GIT_EDITOR");
 	int terminal_is_dumb = is_terminal_dumb();
 
-	if (!editor && editor_program)
-		editor = editor_program;
+	if (!editor)
+		editor = repo_config_values(the_repository)->editor_program;
 	if (!editor && !terminal_is_dumb)
 		editor = getenv("VISUAL");
 	if (!editor)
diff --git a/environment.c b/environment.c
index 1734220d59..76ee65e62b 100644
--- a/environment.c
+++ b/environment.c
@@ -45,25 +45,17 @@ int minimum_abbrev = 4, default_abbrev = -1;
 int assume_unchanged;
 char *git_commit_encoding;
 char *git_log_output_encoding;
-char *apply_default_whitespace;
-char *apply_default_ignorewhitespace;
 int fsync_object_files = -1;
 int use_fsync = -1;
 enum fsync_method fsync_method = FSYNC_METHOD_DEFAULT;
 enum fsync_component fsync_components = FSYNC_COMPONENTS_DEFAULT;
-char *editor_program;
-char *askpass_program;
-char *excludes_file;
 enum auto_crlf auto_crlf = AUTO_CRLF_FALSE;
 enum eol core_eol = EOL_UNSET;
 int global_conv_flags_eol = CONV_EOL_RNDTRP_WARN;
 char *check_roundtrip_encoding;
-enum rebase_setup_type autorebase = AUTOREBASE_NEVER;
-enum push_default_type push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_UNSPECIFIED;
 #ifndef OBJECT_CREATION_MODE
 #define OBJECT_CREATION_MODE OBJECT_CREATION_USES_HARDLINKS
 #endif
-enum object_creation_mode object_creation_mode = OBJECT_CREATION_MODE;
 int grafts_keep_true_parents;
 unsigned long pack_size_limit_cfg;
 
@@ -160,6 +152,16 @@ int repo_has_symlinks(struct repository *repo)
 		: platform_has_symlinks();
 }
 
+const char *repo_excludes_file(struct repository *repo)
+{
+	struct repo_config_values *cfg = repo_config_values(repo);
+
+	if (!cfg->excludes_file)
+		cfg->excludes_file = xdg_config_home("ignore");
+
+	return cfg->excludes_file;
+}
+
 int have_git_dir(void)
 {
 	return startup_info->have_repository
@@ -455,8 +457,8 @@ int git_default_core_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 	}
 
 	if (!strcmp(var, "core.editor")) {
-		FREE_AND_NULL(editor_program);
-		return git_config_string(&editor_program, var, value);
+		FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->editor_program);
+		return git_config_string(&cfg->editor_program, var, value);
 	}
 
 	if (!strcmp(var, "core.commentchar") ||
@@ -483,13 +485,13 @@ int git_default_core_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 	}
 
 	if (!strcmp(var, "core.askpass")) {
-		FREE_AND_NULL(askpass_program);
-		return git_config_string(&askpass_program, var, value);
+		FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->askpass_program);
+		return git_config_string(&cfg->askpass_program, var, value);
 	}
 
 	if (!strcmp(var, "core.excludesfile")) {
-		FREE_AND_NULL(excludes_file);
-		return git_config_pathname(&excludes_file, var, value);
+		FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->excludes_file);
+		return git_config_pathname(&cfg->excludes_file, var, value);
 	}
 
 	if (!strcmp(var, "core.whitespace")) {
@@ -536,9 +538,9 @@ int git_default_core_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 		if (!value)
 			return config_error_nonbool(var);
 		if (!strcmp(value, "rename"))
-			object_creation_mode = OBJECT_CREATION_USES_RENAMES;
+			cfg->object_creation_mode = OBJECT_CREATION_USES_RENAMES;
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "link"))
-			object_creation_mode = OBJECT_CREATION_USES_HARDLINKS;
+			cfg->object_creation_mode = OBJECT_CREATION_USES_HARDLINKS;
 		else
 			die(_("invalid mode for object creation: %s"), value);
 		return 0;
@@ -624,13 +626,13 @@ static int git_default_branch_config(const char *var, const char *value)
 		if (!value)
 			return config_error_nonbool(var);
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "never"))
-			autorebase = AUTOREBASE_NEVER;
+			cfg->autorebase = AUTOREBASE_NEVER;
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "local"))
-			autorebase = AUTOREBASE_LOCAL;
+			cfg->autorebase = AUTOREBASE_LOCAL;
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "remote"))
-			autorebase = AUTOREBASE_REMOTE;
+			cfg->autorebase = AUTOREBASE_REMOTE;
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "always"))
-			autorebase = AUTOREBASE_ALWAYS;
+			cfg->autorebase = AUTOREBASE_ALWAYS;
 		else
 			return error(_("malformed value for %s"), var);
 		return 0;
@@ -642,21 +644,23 @@ static int git_default_branch_config(const char *var, const char *value)
 
 static int git_default_push_config(const char *var, const char *value)
 {
+	struct repo_config_values *cfg = repo_config_values(the_repository);
+
 	if (!strcmp(var, "push.default")) {
 		if (!value)
 			return config_error_nonbool(var);
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "nothing"))
-			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_NOTHING;
+			cfg->push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_NOTHING;
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "matching"))
-			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_MATCHING;
+			cfg->push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_MATCHING;
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "simple"))
-			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_SIMPLE;
+			cfg->push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_SIMPLE;
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "upstream"))
-			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM;
+			cfg->push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM;
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "tracking")) /* deprecated */
-			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM;
+			cfg->push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM;
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "current"))
-			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_CURRENT;
+			cfg->push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_CURRENT;
 		else {
 			error(_("malformed value for %s: %s"), var, value);
 			return error(_("must be one of nothing, matching, simple, "
@@ -742,6 +746,15 @@ int git_default_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 void repo_config_values_init(struct repo_config_values *cfg)
 {
 	cfg->attributes_file = NULL;
+	cfg->excludes_file = NULL;
+	cfg->editor_program = NULL;
+	cfg->pager_program = NULL;
+	cfg->askpass_program = NULL;
+	cfg->apply_default_whitespace = NULL;
+	cfg->apply_default_ignorewhitespace = NULL;
+	cfg->push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_UNSPECIFIED;
+	cfg->autorebase = AUTOREBASE_NEVER;
+	cfg->object_creation_mode = OBJECT_CREATION_MODE;
 	cfg->apply_sparse_checkout = 0;
 	cfg->protect_hfs = PROTECT_HFS_DEFAULT;
 	cfg->protect_ntfs = PROTECT_NTFS_DEFAULT;
@@ -758,3 +771,14 @@ void repo_config_values_init(struct repo_config_values *cfg)
 	cfg->sparse_expect_files_outside_of_patterns = 0;
 	cfg->warn_on_object_refname_ambiguity = 1;
 }
+
+void repo_config_values_clear(struct repo_config_values *cfg)
+{
+	FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->attributes_file);
+	FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->excludes_file);
+	FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->editor_program);
+	FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->pager_program);
+	FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->askpass_program);
+	FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->apply_default_whitespace);
+	FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->apply_default_ignorewhitespace);
+}
diff --git a/environment.h b/environment.h
index d7b830f7e1..e7ec5b0437 100644
--- a/environment.h
+++ b/environment.h
@@ -87,9 +87,45 @@ extern const char * const local_repo_env[];
 struct strvec;
 
 struct repository;
+
+/*
+ * NEEDSWORK: It would be better if these definitions could be moved to
+ * other more specific files, but care is needed to avoid circular
+ * inclusion issues.
+ */
+enum push_default_type {
+	PUSH_DEFAULT_NOTHING = 0,
+	PUSH_DEFAULT_MATCHING,
+	PUSH_DEFAULT_SIMPLE,
+	PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM,
+	PUSH_DEFAULT_CURRENT,
+	PUSH_DEFAULT_UNSPECIFIED
+};
+
+enum rebase_setup_type {
+	AUTOREBASE_NEVER = 0,
+	AUTOREBASE_LOCAL,
+	AUTOREBASE_REMOTE,
+	AUTOREBASE_ALWAYS
+};
+
+enum object_creation_mode {
+	OBJECT_CREATION_USES_HARDLINKS = 0,
+	OBJECT_CREATION_USES_RENAMES = 1
+};
+
 struct repo_config_values {
 	/* section "core" config values */
 	char *attributes_file;
+	char *excludes_file;
+	char *editor_program;
+	char *pager_program;
+	char *askpass_program;
+	char *apply_default_whitespace;
+	char *apply_default_ignorewhitespace;
+	enum push_default_type push_default;
+	enum rebase_setup_type autorebase;
+	enum object_creation_mode object_creation_mode;
 	int apply_sparse_checkout;
 	int trust_ctime;
 	int check_stat;
@@ -157,10 +193,21 @@ int repo_trust_executable_bit(struct repository *repo);
 
 int repo_has_symlinks(struct repository *repo);
 
+const char *repo_excludes_file(struct repository *repo);
+
 void repo_config_values_init(struct repo_config_values *cfg);
 
 int is_bare_repository(struct repository *repo);
 
+/*
+ * Frees memory allocated for dynamically loaded configuration values
+ * inside `repo_config_values`.
+ *
+ * As dynamically allocated variables are migrated into this struct,
+ * their FREE_AND_NULL() calls should be appended here.
+ */
+void repo_config_values_clear(struct repo_config_values *cfg);
+
 /*
  * TODO: All the below state either explicitly or implicitly relies on
  * `the_repository`. We should eventually get rid of these and make the
@@ -186,34 +233,8 @@ int have_git_dir(void);
 /* Environment bits from configuration mechanism */
 extern int minimum_abbrev, default_abbrev;
 extern int assume_unchanged;
-extern char *apply_default_whitespace;
-extern char *apply_default_ignorewhitespace;
 extern unsigned long pack_size_limit_cfg;
 
-enum rebase_setup_type {
-	AUTOREBASE_NEVER = 0,
-	AUTOREBASE_LOCAL,
-	AUTOREBASE_REMOTE,
-	AUTOREBASE_ALWAYS
-};
-extern enum rebase_setup_type autorebase;
-
-enum push_default_type {
-	PUSH_DEFAULT_NOTHING = 0,
-	PUSH_DEFAULT_MATCHING,
-	PUSH_DEFAULT_SIMPLE,
-	PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM,
-	PUSH_DEFAULT_CURRENT,
-	PUSH_DEFAULT_UNSPECIFIED
-};
-extern enum push_default_type push_default;
-
-enum object_creation_mode {
-	OBJECT_CREATION_USES_HARDLINKS = 0,
-	OBJECT_CREATION_USES_RENAMES = 1
-};
-extern enum object_creation_mode object_creation_mode;
-
 extern int grafts_keep_true_parents;
 
 const char *get_log_output_encoding(void);
@@ -222,10 +243,6 @@ const char *get_commit_output_encoding(void);
 extern char *git_commit_encoding;
 extern char *git_log_output_encoding;
 
-extern char *editor_program;
-extern char *askpass_program;
-extern char *excludes_file;
-
 /*
  * The character that begins a commented line in user-editable file
  * that is subject to stripspace.
diff --git a/object-file.c b/object-file.c
index 7ff2b730ac..0567b9d5f1 100644
--- a/object-file.c
+++ b/object-file.c
@@ -409,11 +409,12 @@ int finalize_object_file_flags(struct repository *repo,
 {
 	unsigned retries = 0;
 	int ret;
+	struct repo_config_values *cfg = repo_config_values(repo);
 
 retry:
 	ret = 0;
 
-	if (object_creation_mode == OBJECT_CREATION_USES_RENAMES)
+	if (cfg->object_creation_mode == OBJECT_CREATION_USES_RENAMES)
 		goto try_rename;
 	else if (link(tmpfile, filename))
 		ret = errno;
diff --git a/pager.c b/pager.c
index 35b210e048..543ef12936 100644
--- a/pager.c
+++ b/pager.c
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 #include "run-command.h"
 #include "sigchain.h"
 #include "alias.h"
+#include "repository.h"
+#include "environment.h"
 
 int pager_use_color = 1;
 
@@ -13,7 +15,6 @@ int pager_use_color = 1;
 #endif
 
 static struct child_process pager_process;
-static char *pager_program;
 static int old_fd1 = -1, old_fd2 = -1;
 
 /* Is the value coming back from term_columns() just a guess? */
@@ -75,10 +76,17 @@ static void wait_for_pager_signal(int signo)
 
 static int core_pager_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 			     const struct config_context *ctx UNUSED,
-			     void *data UNUSED)
+			     void *data)
 {
-	if (!strcmp(var, "core.pager"))
-		return git_config_string(&pager_program, var, value);
+	struct repository *r = data;
+
+	if (!strcmp(var, "core.pager")) {
+		struct repo_config_values *cfg = repo_config_values(r);
+
+		FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->pager_program);
+		return git_config_string(&cfg->pager_program, var, value);
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -91,10 +99,12 @@ const char *git_pager(struct repository *r, int stdout_is_tty)
 
 	pager = getenv("GIT_PAGER");
 	if (!pager) {
-		if (!pager_program)
+		struct repo_config_values *cfg = repo_config_values(r);
+
+		if (!cfg->pager_program)
 			read_early_config(r,
-					  core_pager_config, NULL);
-		pager = pager_program;
+					  core_pager_config, r);
+		pager = cfg->pager_program;
 	}
 	if (!pager)
 		pager = getenv("PAGER");
@@ -302,7 +312,11 @@ int check_pager_config(struct repository *r, const char *cmd)
 
 	read_early_config(r, pager_command_config, &data);
 
-	if (data.value)
-		pager_program = data.value;
+	if (data.value) {
+		struct repo_config_values *cfg = repo_config_values(r);
+
+		free(cfg->pager_program);
+		cfg->pager_program = data.value;
+	}
 	return data.want;
 }
diff --git a/prompt.c b/prompt.c
index 706fba2a50..d8d74c7e37 100644
--- a/prompt.c
+++ b/prompt.c
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
 #include "parse.h"
 #include "environment.h"
+#include "repository.h"
 #include "run-command.h"
 #include "strbuf.h"
 #include "prompt.h"
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ char *git_prompt(const char *prompt, int flags)
 
 		askpass = getenv("GIT_ASKPASS");
 		if (!askpass)
-			askpass = askpass_program;
+			askpass = repo_config_values(the_repository)->askpass_program;
 		if (!askpass)
 			askpass = getenv("SSH_ASKPASS");
 		if (askpass && *askpass)
diff --git a/remote.c b/remote.c
index f98278ee86..b55fc6e18a 100644
--- a/remote.c
+++ b/remote.c
@@ -1933,7 +1933,7 @@ static char *branch_get_push_1(struct repository *repo,
 	if (remote->mirror)
 		return tracking_for_push_dest(remote, branch->refname, err);
 
-	switch (push_default) {
+	switch (repo_config_values(repo)->push_default) {
 	case PUSH_DEFAULT_NOTHING:
 		return error_buf(err, _("push has no destination (push.default is 'nothing')"));
 
diff --git a/repository.c b/repository.c
index 53d6e38555..651b0f6933 100644
--- a/repository.c
+++ b/repository.c
@@ -390,6 +390,7 @@ void repo_clear(struct repository *repo)
 	FREE_AND_NULL(repo->parsed_objects);
 
 	repo_settings_clear(repo);
+	repo_config_values_clear(&repo->config_values_private_);
 
 	if (repo->config) {
 		git_configset_clear(repo->config);
diff --git a/repository.h b/repository.h
index b767307911..3b467a2513 100644
--- a/repository.h
+++ b/repository.h
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ struct repository {
 	/* Repository's compatibility hash algorithm. */
 	const struct git_hash_algo *compat_hash_algo;
 
-	/* Repository's config values parsed by git_default_config() */
+	/* Repository-specific configuration values. */
 	struct repo_config_values config_values_private_;
 
 	/* Repository's reference storage format, as serialized on disk. */