diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 2a1e7ec6b2..50b28fad01 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -692,6 +692,7 @@ extern int git_parse_long(const char *, long *);
 extern int git_parse_ulong(const char *, unsigned long *);
 extern int git_config_int(const char *, const char *);
 extern unsigned long git_config_ulong(const char *, const char *);
+extern int git_config_bool_or_int(const char *, const char *, int *);
 extern int git_config_bool(const char *, const char *);
 extern int git_config_string(const char **, const char *, const char *);
 extern int git_config_set(const char *, const char *);
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 062449459e..5ea18efaec 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -303,8 +303,9 @@ unsigned long git_config_ulong(const char *name, const char *value)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-int git_config_bool(const char *name, const char *value)
+int git_config_bool_or_int(const char *name, const char *value, int *is_bool)
 {
+	*is_bool = 1;
 	if (!value)
 		return 1;
 	if (!*value)
@@ -313,9 +314,16 @@ int git_config_bool(const char *name, const char *value)
 		return 1;
 	if (!strcasecmp(value, "false") || !strcasecmp(value, "no"))
 		return 0;
+	*is_bool = 0;
 	return git_config_int(name, value) != 0;
 }
 
+int git_config_bool(const char *name, const char *value)
+{
+	int discard;
+	return git_config_bool_or_int(name, value, &discard);
+}
+
 int git_config_string(const char **dest, const char *var, const char *value)
 {
 	if (!value)