diff --git a/Documentation/git-repo-config.txt b/Documentation/git-repo-config.txt
index 803c0d5cae..cc72fa9b74 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-repo-config.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-repo-config.txt
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ OPTIONS
 
 --get::
 	Get the value for a given key (optionally filtered by a regex
-	matching the value).
+	matching the value). Returns error code 1 if the key was not
+	found and error code 2 if multiple key values were found.
 
 --get-all::
 	Like get, but does not fail if the number of values for the key
diff --git a/perl/Git.pm b/perl/Git.pm
index b4ee88bdfd..24fd7ce25c 100644
--- a/perl/Git.pm
+++ b/perl/Git.pm
@@ -473,7 +473,6 @@ and the directory must exist.
 
 sub wc_chdir {
 	my ($self, $subdir) = @_;
-
 	$self->wc_path()
 		or throw Error::Simple("bare repository");
 
@@ -486,6 +485,42 @@ sub wc_chdir {
 }
 
 
+=item config ( VARIABLE )
+
+Retrieve the configuration C<VARIABLE> in the same manner as C<repo-config>
+does. In scalar context requires the variable to be set only one time
+(exception is thrown otherwise), in array context returns allows the
+variable to be set multiple times and returns all the values.
+
+Must be called on a repository instance.
+
+This currently wraps command('repo-config') so it is not so fast.
+
+=cut
+
+sub config {
+	my ($self, $var) = @_;
+	$self->repo_path()
+		or throw Error::Simple("not a repository");
+
+	try {
+		if (wantarray) {
+			return $self->command('repo-config', '--get-all', $var);
+		} else {
+			return $self->command_oneline('repo-config', '--get', $var);
+		}
+	} catch Git::Error::Command with {
+		my $E = shift;
+		if ($E->value() == 1) {
+			# Key not found.
+			return undef;
+		} else {
+			throw $E;
+		}
+	};
+}
+
+
 =item hash_object ( TYPE, FILENAME )
 
 =item hash_object ( TYPE, FILEHANDLE )
diff --git a/repo-config.c b/repo-config.c
index 743f02b7de..c7ed0ac9c9 100644
--- a/repo-config.c
+++ b/repo-config.c
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ static int get_value(const char* key_, const char* regex_)
 	if (do_all)
 		ret = !seen;
 	else
-		ret =  (seen == 1) ? 0 : 1;
+		ret = (seen == 1) ? 0 : seen > 1 ? 2 : 1;
 
 free_strings:
 	if (repo_config)