diff --git a/Documentation/git-send-email.txt b/Documentation/git-send-email.txt
index 794224b1b3..f940770279 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-send-email.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-send-email.txt
@@ -69,9 +69,12 @@ and In-Reply-To headers will be used unless they are removed.
 Missing From or In-Reply-To headers will be prompted for.
 
 --from=<address>::
-	Specify the sender of the emails.  This will default to
-	the value GIT_COMMITTER_IDENT, as returned by "git var -l".
-	The user will still be prompted to confirm this entry.
+	Specify the sender of the emails.  If not specified on the command line,
+	the value of the 'sendemail.from' configuration option is used.  If
+	neither the command line option nor 'sendemail.from' are set, then the
+	user will be prompted for the value.  The default for the prompt will be
+	the value of GIT_AUTHOR_IDENT, or GIT_COMMITTER_IDENT if that is not
+	set, as returned by "git var -l".
 
 --in-reply-to=<identifier>::
 	Specify the contents of the first In-Reply-To header.
diff --git a/git-send-email.perl b/git-send-email.perl
index e3408d513f..e793935b4f 100755
--- a/git-send-email.perl
+++ b/git-send-email.perl
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ my %config_settings = (
     "envelopesender" => \$envelope_sender,
     "multiedit" => \$multiedit,
     "confirm"   => \$confirm,
+    "from" => \$sender,
 );
 
 # Handle Uncouth Termination