diff --git a/Documentation/git-pull.txt b/Documentation/git-pull.txt
index f9f1e0d30b..4cc633a5ec 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-pull.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-pull.txt
@@ -35,7 +35,11 @@ include::urls-remotes.txt[]
 include::merge-strategies.txt[]
 
 \--rebase::
-	Instead of a merge, perform a rebase after fetching.
+	Instead of a merge, perform a rebase after fetching.  If
+	there is a remote ref for the upstream branch, and this branch
+	was rebased since last fetched, the rebase uses that information
+	to avoid rebasing non-local changes.
+
 	*NOTE:* This is a potentially _dangerous_ mode of operation.
 	It rewrites history, which does not bode well when you
 	published that history already.  Do *not* use this option
diff --git a/git-pull.sh b/git-pull.sh
index fa97b0f356..46da0f4ca2 100755
--- a/git-pull.sh
+++ b/git-pull.sh
@@ -106,6 +106,15 @@ error_on_no_merge_candidates () {
 	exit 1
 }
 
+test true = "$rebase" && {
+	. git-parse-remote &&
+	origin="$1"
+	test -z "$origin" && origin=$(get_default_remote)
+	reflist="$(get_remote_refs_for_fetch "$@" 2>/dev/null |
+		sed "s|refs/heads/\(.*\):|\1|")" &&
+	oldremoteref="$(git rev-parse --verify \
+		"refs/remotes/$origin/$reflist" 2>/dev/null)"
+}
 orig_head=$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD 2>/dev/null)
 git-fetch --update-head-ok "$@" || exit 1
 
@@ -164,6 +173,7 @@ then
 fi
 
 merge_name=$(git fmt-merge-msg <"$GIT_DIR/FETCH_HEAD") || exit
-test true = "$rebase" && exec git-rebase $merge_head
+test true = "$rebase" &&
+	exec git-rebase --onto $merge_head ${oldremoteref:-$merge_head}
 exec git-merge $no_summary $no_commit $squash $no_ff $strategy_args \
 	"$merge_name" HEAD $merge_head
diff --git a/t/t5520-pull.sh b/t/t5520-pull.sh
index 52b3a0c6dd..9484129ca5 100755
--- a/t/t5520-pull.sh
+++ b/t/t5520-pull.sh
@@ -71,8 +71,25 @@ test_expect_success 'branch.to-rebase.rebase' '
 	git reset --hard before-rebase &&
 	git config branch.to-rebase.rebase 1 &&
 	git pull . copy &&
+	git config branch.to-rebase.rebase 0 &&
 	test $(git rev-parse HEAD^) = $(git rev-parse copy) &&
 	test new = $(git show HEAD:file2)
 '
 
+test_expect_success '--rebase with rebased upstream' '
+
+	git remote add -f me . &&
+	git checkout copy &&
+	git reset --hard HEAD^ &&
+	echo conflicting modification > file &&
+	git commit -m conflict file &&
+	git checkout to-rebase &&
+	echo file > file2 &&
+	git commit -m to-rebase file2 &&
+	git pull --rebase me copy &&
+	test "conflicting modification" = "$(cat file)" &&
+	test file = $(cat file2)
+
+'
+
 test_done