diff --git a/builtin-merge-recursive.c b/builtin-merge-recursive.c
index 3902e91069..46e636fdcf 100644
--- a/builtin-merge-recursive.c
+++ b/builtin-merge-recursive.c
@@ -365,6 +365,7 @@ static struct path_list *get_renames(struct tree *tree,
 	opts.rename_limit = merge_rename_limit >= 0 ? merge_rename_limit :
 			    diff_rename_limit >= 0 ? diff_rename_limit :
 			    500;
+	opts.warn_on_too_large_rename = 1;
 	opts.output_format = DIFF_FORMAT_NO_OUTPUT;
 	if (diff_setup_done(&opts) < 0)
 		die("diff setup failed");
diff --git a/diff.h b/diff.h
index f2c77391a9..8931116068 100644
--- a/diff.h
+++ b/diff.h
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ struct diff_options {
 	int pickaxe_opts;
 	int rename_score;
 	int rename_limit;
+	int warn_on_too_large_rename;
 	int dirstat_percent;
 	int setup;
 	int abbrev;
diff --git a/diffcore-rename.c b/diffcore-rename.c
index 1369a5ec45..1b2ebb4001 100644
--- a/diffcore-rename.c
+++ b/diffcore-rename.c
@@ -492,7 +492,8 @@ void diffcore_rename(struct diff_options *options)
 		rename_limit = 32767;
 	if ((num_create > rename_limit && num_src > rename_limit) ||
 	    (num_create * num_src > rename_limit * rename_limit)) {
-		warning("too many files, skipping inexact rename detection");
+		if (options->warn_on_too_large_rename)
+			warning("too many files, skipping inexact rename detection");
 		goto cleanup;
 	}