diff --git a/Documentation/config.txt b/Documentation/config.txt
index 5f4d7939ed..4781773e6a 100644
--- a/Documentation/config.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config.txt
@@ -1167,6 +1167,10 @@ gc.autopacklimit::
 	--auto` consolidates them into one larger pack.  The
 	default	value is 50.  Setting this to 0 disables it.
 
+gc.autodetach::
+	Make `git gc --auto` return immediately andrun in background
+	if the system supports it. Default is true.
+
 gc.packrefs::
 	Running `git pack-refs` in a repository renders it
 	unclonable by Git versions prior to 1.5.1.2 over dumb
diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index c19545d49e..ed5cc3c031 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ static int pack_refs = 1;
 static int aggressive_window = 250;
 static int gc_auto_threshold = 6700;
 static int gc_auto_pack_limit = 50;
+static int detach_auto = 1;
 static const char *prune_expire = "2.weeks.ago";
 
 static struct argv_array pack_refs_cmd = ARGV_ARRAY_INIT;
@@ -73,6 +74,10 @@ static int gc_config(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
 		gc_auto_pack_limit = git_config_int(var, value);
 		return 0;
 	}
+	if (!strcmp(var, "gc.autodetach")) {
+		detach_auto = git_config_bool(var, value);
+		return 0;
+	}
 	if (!strcmp(var, "gc.pruneexpire")) {
 		if (value && strcmp(value, "now")) {
 			unsigned long now = approxidate("now");
@@ -301,11 +306,19 @@ int cmd_gc(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		 */
 		if (!need_to_gc())
 			return 0;
-		if (!quiet)
-			fprintf(stderr,
-					_("Auto packing the repository for optimum performance. You may also\n"
-					"run \"git gc\" manually. See "
-					"\"git help gc\" for more information.\n"));
+		if (!quiet) {
+			if (detach_auto)
+				fprintf(stderr, _("Auto packing the repository in background for optimum performance.\n"));
+			else
+				fprintf(stderr, _("Auto packing the repository for optimum performance.\n"));
+			fprintf(stderr, _("See \"git help gc\" for manual housekeeping.\n"));
+		}
+		if (detach_auto)
+			/*
+			 * failure to daemonize is ok, we'll continue
+			 * in foreground
+			 */
+			daemonize();
 	} else
 		add_repack_all_option();
 
diff --git a/t/t5400-send-pack.sh b/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
index 129fc88bd2..0736bcbcd5 100755
--- a/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
+++ b/t/t5400-send-pack.sh
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ test_expect_success 'receive-pack runs auto-gc in remote repo' '
 	    # Set the child to auto-pack if more than one pack exists
 	    cd child &&
 	    git config gc.autopacklimit 1 &&
+	    git config gc.autodetach false &&
 	    git branch test_auto_gc &&
 	    # And create a file that follows the temporary object naming
 	    # convention for the auto-gc to remove