diff --git a/builtin.h b/builtin.h
index 8d87d06da4..0f3a7b7704 100644
--- a/builtin.h
+++ b/builtin.h
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@
  *
  *	The built-in supports `--super-prefix`.
  *
+ * `DELAY_PAGER_CONFIG`:
+ *
+ *	If RUN_SETUP or RUN_SETUP_GENTLY is set, git.c normally handles
+ *	the `pager.<cmd>`-configuration. If this flag is used, git.c
+ *	will skip that step, instead allowing the built-in to make a
+ *	more informed decision, e.g., by ignoring `pager.<cmd>` for
+ *	certain subcommands.
+ *
  * . Add `builtin/foo.o` to `BUILTIN_OBJS` in `Makefile`.
  *
  * Additionally, if `foo` is a new command, there are 4 more things to do:
diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 489aab4d83..79195ebbdf 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@ static int handle_alias(int *argcp, const char ***argv)
  */
 #define NEED_WORK_TREE		(1<<3)
 #define SUPPORT_SUPER_PREFIX	(1<<4)
+#define DELAY_PAGER_CONFIG	(1<<5)
 
 struct cmd_struct {
 	const char *cmd;
@@ -306,7 +307,8 @@ static int run_builtin(struct cmd_struct *p, int argc, const char **argv)
 			prefix = setup_git_directory_gently(&nongit_ok);
 		}
 
-		if (use_pager == -1 && p->option & (RUN_SETUP | RUN_SETUP_GENTLY))
+		if (use_pager == -1 && p->option & (RUN_SETUP | RUN_SETUP_GENTLY) &&
+		    !(p->option & DELAY_PAGER_CONFIG))
 			use_pager = check_pager_config(p->cmd);
 		if (use_pager == -1 && p->option & USE_PAGER)
 			use_pager = 1;