diff --git a/Documentation/Makefile b/Documentation/Makefile
index d3f043f50d..f2e7fc1daa 100644
--- a/Documentation/Makefile
+++ b/Documentation/Makefile
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ TECH_DOCS += MyFirstObjectWalk
 TECH_DOCS += SubmittingPatches
 TECH_DOCS += ToolsForGit
 TECH_DOCS += technical/bundle-format
+TECH_DOCS += technical/cruft-packs
 TECH_DOCS += technical/hash-function-transition
 TECH_DOCS += technical/http-protocol
 TECH_DOCS += technical/index-format
diff --git a/Documentation/config/gc.txt b/Documentation/config/gc.txt
index c834e07991..38fea076a2 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/gc.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config/gc.txt
@@ -81,14 +81,21 @@ gc.packRefs::
 	to enable it within all non-bare repos or it can be set to a
 	boolean value.  The default is `true`.
 
+gc.cruftPacks::
+	Store unreachable objects in a cruft pack (see
+	linkgit:git-repack[1]) instead of as loose objects. The default
+	is `false`.
+
 gc.pruneExpire::
-	When 'git gc' is run, it will call 'prune --expire 2.weeks.ago'.
-	Override the grace period with this config variable.  The value
-	"now" may be used to disable this grace period and always prune
-	unreachable objects immediately, or "never" may be used to
-	suppress pruning.  This feature helps prevent corruption when
-	'git gc' runs concurrently with another process writing to the
-	repository; see the "NOTES" section of linkgit:git-gc[1].
+	When 'git gc' is run, it will call 'prune --expire 2.weeks.ago'
+	(and 'repack --cruft --cruft-expiration 2.weeks.ago' if using
+	cruft packs via `gc.cruftPacks` or `--cruft`).  Override the
+	grace period with this config variable.  The value "now" may be
+	used to disable this grace period and always prune unreachable
+	objects immediately, or "never" may be used to suppress pruning.
+	This feature helps prevent corruption when 'git gc' runs
+	concurrently with another process writing to the repository; see
+	the "NOTES" section of linkgit:git-gc[1].
 
 gc.worktreePruneExpire::
 	When 'git gc' is run, it calls
diff --git a/Documentation/config/repack.txt b/Documentation/config/repack.txt
index 41ac6953c8..c79af6d7b8 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/repack.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config/repack.txt
@@ -30,3 +30,12 @@ repack.updateServerInfo::
 	If set to false, linkgit:git-repack[1] will not run
 	linkgit:git-update-server-info[1]. Defaults to true. Can be overridden
 	when true by the `-n` option of linkgit:git-repack[1].
+
+repack.cruftWindow::
+repack.cruftWindowMemory::
+repack.cruftDepth::
+repack.cruftThreads::
+	Parameters used by linkgit:git-pack-objects[1] when generating
+	a cruft pack and the respective parameters are not given over
+	the command line. See similarly named `pack.*` configuration
+	variables for defaults and meaning.
diff --git a/Documentation/git-gc.txt b/Documentation/git-gc.txt
index 853967dea0..ba4e67700e 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-gc.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-gc.txt
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ other housekeeping tasks (e.g. rerere, working trees, reflog...) will
 be performed as well.
 
 
+--cruft::
+	When expiring unreachable objects, pack them separately into a
+	cruft pack instead of storing the loose objects as loose
+	objects.
+
 --prune=<date>::
 	Prune loose objects older than date (default is 2 weeks ago,
 	overridable by the config variable `gc.pruneExpire`).
diff --git a/Documentation/git-pack-objects.txt b/Documentation/git-pack-objects.txt
index f8344e1e5b..a9995a932c 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-pack-objects.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-pack-objects.txt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
 	[--no-reuse-delta] [--delta-base-offset] [--non-empty]
 	[--local] [--incremental] [--window=<n>] [--depth=<n>]
 	[--revs [--unpacked | --all]] [--keep-pack=<pack-name>]
+	[--cruft] [--cruft-expiration=<time>]
 	[--stdout [--filter=<filter-spec>] | <base-name>]
 	[--shallow] [--keep-true-parents] [--[no-]sparse] < <object-list>
 
@@ -95,6 +96,35 @@ base-name::
 Incompatible with `--revs`, or options that imply `--revs` (such as
 `--all`), with the exception of `--unpacked`, which is compatible.
 
+--cruft::
+	Packs unreachable objects into a separate "cruft" pack, denoted
+	by the existence of a `.mtimes` file. Typically used by `git
+	repack --cruft`. Callers provide a list of pack names and
+	indicate which packs will remain in the repository, along with
+	which packs will be deleted (indicated by the `-` prefix). The
+	contents of the cruft pack are all objects not contained in the
+	surviving packs which have not exceeded the grace period (see
+	`--cruft-expiration` below), or which have exceeded the grace
+	period, but are reachable from an other object which hasn't.
++
+When the input lists a pack containing all reachable objects (and lists
+all other packs as pending deletion), the corresponding cruft pack will
+contain all unreachable objects (with mtime newer than the
+`--cruft-expiration`) along with any unreachable objects whose mtime is
+older than the `--cruft-expiration`, but are reachable from an
+unreachable object whose mtime is newer than the `--cruft-expiration`).
++
+Incompatible with `--unpack-unreachable`, `--keep-unreachable`,
+`--pack-loose-unreachable`, `--stdin-packs`, as well as any other
+options which imply `--revs`. Also incompatible with `--max-pack-size`;
+when this option is set, the maximum pack size is not inferred from
+`pack.packSizeLimit`.
+
+--cruft-expiration=<approxidate>::
+	If specified, objects are eliminated from the cruft pack if they
+	have an mtime older than `<approxidate>`. If unspecified (and
+	given `--cruft`), then no objects are eliminated.
+
 --window=<n>::
 --depth=<n>::
 	These two options affect how the objects contained in
diff --git a/Documentation/git-repack.txt b/Documentation/git-repack.txt
index ee30edc178..0bf13893d8 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-repack.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-repack.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,17 @@ to the new separate pack will be written.
 	Also run  'git prune-packed' to remove redundant
 	loose object files.
 
+--cruft::
+	Same as `-a`, unless `-d` is used. Then any unreachable objects
+	are packed into a separate cruft pack. Unreachable objects can
+	be pruned using the normal expiry rules with the next `git gc`
+	invocation (see linkgit:git-gc[1]). Incompatible with `-k`.
+
+--cruft-expiration=<approxidate>::
+	Expire unreachable objects older than `<approxidate>`
+	immediately instead of waiting for the next `git gc` invocation.
+	Only useful with `--cruft -d`.
+
 -l::
 	Pass the `--local` option to 'git pack-objects'. See
 	linkgit:git-pack-objects[1].
diff --git a/Documentation/technical/cruft-packs.txt b/Documentation/technical/cruft-packs.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d81f3a8982
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/technical/cruft-packs.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+= Cruft packs
+
+The cruft packs feature offer an alternative to Git's traditional mechanism of
+removing unreachable objects. This document provides an overview of Git's
+pruning mechanism, and how a cruft pack can be used instead to accomplish the
+same.
+
+== Background
+
+To remove unreachable objects from your repository, Git offers `git repack -Ad`
+(see linkgit:git-repack[1]). Quoting from the documentation:
+
+[quote]
+[...] unreachable objects in a previous pack become loose, unpacked objects,
+instead of being left in the old pack. [...] loose unreachable objects will be
+pruned according to normal expiry rules with the next 'git gc' invocation.
+
+Unreachable objects aren't removed immediately, since doing so could race with
+an incoming push which may reference an object which is about to be deleted.
+Instead, those unreachable objects are stored as loose objects and stay that way
+until they are older than the expiration window, at which point they are removed
+by linkgit:git-prune[1].
+
+Git must store these unreachable objects loose in order to keep track of their
+per-object mtimes. If these unreachable objects were written into one big pack,
+then either freshening that pack (because an object contained within it was
+re-written) or creating a new pack of unreachable objects would cause the pack's
+mtime to get updated, and the objects within it would never leave the expiration
+window. Instead, objects are stored loose in order to keep track of the
+individual object mtimes and avoid a situation where all cruft objects are
+freshened at once.
+
+This can lead to undesirable situations when a repository contains many
+unreachable objects which have not yet left the grace period. Having large
+directories in the shards of `.git/objects` can lead to decreased performance in
+the repository. But given enough unreachable objects, this can lead to inode
+starvation and degrade the performance of the whole system. Since we
+can never pack those objects, these repositories often take up a large amount of
+disk space, since we can only zlib compress them, but not store them in delta
+chains.
+
+== Cruft packs
+
+A cruft pack eliminates the need for storing unreachable objects in a loose
+state by including the per-object mtimes in a separate file alongside a single
+pack containing all loose objects.
+
+A cruft pack is written by `git repack --cruft` when generating a new pack.
+linkgit:git-pack-objects[1]'s `--cruft` option. Note that `git repack --cruft`
+is a classic all-into-one repack, meaning that everything in the resulting pack is
+reachable, and everything else is unreachable. Once written, the `--cruft`
+option instructs `git repack` to generate another pack containing only objects
+not packed in the previous step (which equates to packing all unreachable
+objects together). This progresses as follows:
+
+  1. Enumerate every object, marking any object which is (a) not contained in a
+     kept-pack, and (b) whose mtime is within the grace period as a traversal
+     tip.
+
+  2. Perform a reachability traversal based on the tips gathered in the previous
+     step, adding every object along the way to the pack.
+
+  3. Write the pack out, along with a `.mtimes` file that records the per-object
+     timestamps.
+
+This mode is invoked internally by linkgit:git-repack[1] when instructed to
+write a cruft pack. Crucially, the set of in-core kept packs is exactly the set
+of packs which will not be deleted by the repack; in other words, they contain
+all of the repository's reachable objects.
+
+When a repository already has a cruft pack, `git repack --cruft` typically only
+adds objects to it. An exception to this is when `git repack` is given the
+`--cruft-expiration` option, which allows the generated cruft pack to omit
+expired objects instead of waiting for linkgit:git-gc[1] to expire those objects
+later on.
+
+It is linkgit:git-gc[1] that is typically responsible for removing expired
+unreachable objects.
+
+== Caution for mixed-version environments
+
+Repositories that have cruft packs in them will continue to work with any older
+version of Git. Note, however, that previous versions of Git which do not
+understand the `.mtimes` file will use the cruft pack's mtime as the mtime for
+all of the objects in it. In other words, do not expect older (pre-cruft pack)
+versions of Git to interpret or even read the contents of the `.mtimes` file.
+
+Note that having mixed versions of Git GC-ing the same repository can lead to
+unreachable objects never being completely pruned. This can happen under the
+following circumstances:
+
+  - An older version of Git running GC explodes the contents of an existing
+    cruft pack loose, using the cruft pack's mtime.
+  - A newer version running GC collects those loose objects into a cruft pack,
+    where the .mtime file reflects the loose object's actual mtimes, but the
+    cruft pack mtime is "now".
+
+Repeating this process will lead to unreachable objects not getting pruned as a
+result of repeatedly resetting the objects' mtimes to the present time.
+
+If you are GC-ing repositories in a mixed version environment, consider omitting
+the `--cruft` option when using linkgit:git-repack[1] and linkgit:git-gc[1], and
+leaving the `gc.cruftPacks` configuration unset until all writers understand
+cruft packs.
+
+== Alternatives
+
+Notable alternatives to this design include:
+
+  - The location of the per-object mtime data, and
+  - Storing unreachable objects in multiple cruft packs.
+
+On the location of mtime data, a new auxiliary file tied to the pack was chosen
+to avoid complicating the `.idx` format. If the `.idx` format were ever to gain
+support for optional chunks of data, it may make sense to consolidate the
+`.mtimes` format into the `.idx` itself.
+
+Storing unreachable objects among multiple cruft packs (e.g., creating a new
+cruft pack during each repacking operation including only unreachable objects
+which aren't already stored in an earlier cruft pack) is significantly more
+complicated to construct, and so aren't pursued here. The obvious drawback to
+the current implementation is that the entire cruft pack must be re-written from
+scratch.
diff --git a/Documentation/technical/pack-format.txt b/Documentation/technical/pack-format.txt
index 6d3efb7d16..b520aa9c45 100644
--- a/Documentation/technical/pack-format.txt
+++ b/Documentation/technical/pack-format.txt
@@ -294,6 +294,25 @@ Pack file entry: <+
 
 All 4-byte numbers are in network order.
 
+== pack-*.mtimes files have the format:
+
+All 4-byte numbers are in network byte order.
+
+  - A 4-byte magic number '0x4d544d45' ('MTME').
+
+  - A 4-byte version identifier (= 1).
+
+  - A 4-byte hash function identifier (= 1 for SHA-1, 2 for SHA-256).
+
+  - A table of 4-byte unsigned integers. The ith value is the
+    modification time (mtime) of the ith object in the corresponding
+    pack by lexicographic (index) order. The mtimes count standard
+    epoch seconds.
+
+  - A trailer, containing a checksum of the corresponding packfile,
+    and a checksum of all of the above (each having length according
+    to the specified hash function).
+
 == multi-pack-index (MIDX) files have the following format:
 
 The multi-pack-index files refer to multiple pack-files and loose objects.
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f5276a44d9..790382bd1e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -740,6 +740,7 @@ TEST_BUILTINS_OBJS += test-oid-array.o
 TEST_BUILTINS_OBJS += test-oidmap.o
 TEST_BUILTINS_OBJS += test-oidtree.o
 TEST_BUILTINS_OBJS += test-online-cpus.o
+TEST_BUILTINS_OBJS += test-pack-mtimes.o
 TEST_BUILTINS_OBJS += test-parse-options.o
 TEST_BUILTINS_OBJS += test-parse-pathspec-file.o
 TEST_BUILTINS_OBJS += test-partial-clone.o
@@ -996,6 +997,7 @@ LIB_OBJS += oidtree.o
 LIB_OBJS += pack-bitmap-write.o
 LIB_OBJS += pack-bitmap.o
 LIB_OBJS += pack-check.o
+LIB_OBJS += pack-mtimes.o
 LIB_OBJS += pack-objects.o
 LIB_OBJS += pack-revindex.o
 LIB_OBJS += pack-write.o
diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index daa4535f1c..4ea70089c9 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ static const char * const builtin_gc_usage[] = {
 
 static int pack_refs = 1;
 static int prune_reflogs = 1;
+static int cruft_packs = 0;
 static int aggressive_depth = 50;
 static int aggressive_window = 250;
 static int gc_auto_threshold = 6700;
@@ -152,6 +153,7 @@ static void gc_config(void)
 	git_config_get_int("gc.auto", &gc_auto_threshold);
 	git_config_get_int("gc.autopacklimit", &gc_auto_pack_limit);
 	git_config_get_bool("gc.autodetach", &detach_auto);
+	git_config_get_bool("gc.cruftpacks", &cruft_packs);
 	git_config_get_expiry("gc.pruneexpire", &prune_expire);
 	git_config_get_expiry("gc.worktreepruneexpire", &prune_worktrees_expire);
 	git_config_get_expiry("gc.logexpiry", &gc_log_expire);
@@ -331,7 +333,11 @@ static void add_repack_all_option(struct string_list *keep_pack)
 {
 	if (prune_expire && !strcmp(prune_expire, "now"))
 		strvec_push(&repack, "-a");
-	else {
+	else if (cruft_packs) {
+		strvec_push(&repack, "--cruft");
+		if (prune_expire)
+			strvec_pushf(&repack, "--cruft-expiration=%s", prune_expire);
+	} else {
 		strvec_push(&repack, "-A");
 		if (prune_expire)
 			strvec_pushf(&repack, "--unpack-unreachable=%s", prune_expire);
@@ -551,6 +557,7 @@ int cmd_gc(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		{ OPTION_STRING, 0, "prune", &prune_expire, N_("date"),
 			N_("prune unreferenced objects"),
 			PARSE_OPT_OPTARG, NULL, (intptr_t)prune_expire },
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "cruft", &cruft_packs, N_("pack unreferenced objects separately")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "aggressive", &aggressive, N_("be more thorough (increased runtime)")),
 		OPT_BOOL_F(0, "auto", &auto_gc, N_("enable auto-gc mode"),
 			   PARSE_OPT_NOCOMPLETE),
@@ -670,6 +677,7 @@ int cmd_gc(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			die(FAILED_RUN, repack.v[0]);
 
 		if (prune_expire) {
+			/* run `git prune` even if using cruft packs */
 			strvec_push(&prune, prune_expire);
 			if (quiet)
 				strvec_push(&prune, "--no-progress");
diff --git a/builtin/pack-objects.c b/builtin/pack-objects.c
index 0a26de166d..040cebafd2 100644
--- a/builtin/pack-objects.c
+++ b/builtin/pack-objects.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include "trace2.h"
 #include "shallow.h"
 #include "promisor-remote.h"
+#include "pack-mtimes.h"
 
 /*
  * Objects we are going to pack are collected in the `to_pack` structure.
@@ -194,6 +195,8 @@ static int reuse_delta = 1, reuse_object = 1;
 static int keep_unreachable, unpack_unreachable, include_tag;
 static timestamp_t unpack_unreachable_expiration;
 static int pack_loose_unreachable;
+static int cruft;
+static timestamp_t cruft_expiration;
 static int local;
 static int have_non_local_packs;
 static int incremental;
@@ -1260,9 +1263,13 @@ static void write_pack_file(void)
 					&to_pack, written_list, nr_written);
 			}
 
+			if (cruft)
+				pack_idx_opts.flags |= WRITE_MTIMES;
+
 			stage_tmp_packfiles(&tmpname, pack_tmp_name,
 					    written_list, nr_written,
-					    &pack_idx_opts, hash, &idx_tmp_name);
+					    &to_pack, &pack_idx_opts, hash,
+					    &idx_tmp_name);
 
 			if (write_bitmap_index) {
 				size_t tmpname_len = tmpname.len;
@@ -1521,13 +1528,13 @@ static int want_object_in_pack(const struct object_id *oid,
 	return 1;
 }
 
-static void create_object_entry(const struct object_id *oid,
-				enum object_type type,
-				uint32_t hash,
-				int exclude,
-				int no_try_delta,
-				struct packed_git *found_pack,
-				off_t found_offset)
+static struct object_entry *create_object_entry(const struct object_id *oid,
+						enum object_type type,
+						uint32_t hash,
+						int exclude,
+						int no_try_delta,
+						struct packed_git *found_pack,
+						off_t found_offset)
 {
 	struct object_entry *entry;
 
@@ -1544,6 +1551,8 @@ static void create_object_entry(const struct object_id *oid,
 	}
 
 	entry->no_try_delta = no_try_delta;
+
+	return entry;
 }
 
 static const char no_closure_warning[] = N_(
@@ -3403,6 +3412,217 @@ static void read_packs_list_from_stdin(void)
 	string_list_clear(&exclude_packs, 0);
 }
 
+static void add_cruft_object_entry(const struct object_id *oid, enum object_type type,
+				   struct packed_git *pack, off_t offset,
+				   const char *name, uint32_t mtime)
+{
+	struct object_entry *entry;
+
+	display_progress(progress_state, ++nr_seen);
+
+	entry = packlist_find(&to_pack, oid);
+	if (entry) {
+		if (name) {
+			entry->hash = pack_name_hash(name);
+			entry->no_try_delta = no_try_delta(name);
+		}
+	} else {
+		if (!want_object_in_pack(oid, 0, &pack, &offset))
+			return;
+		if (!pack && type == OBJ_BLOB && !has_loose_object(oid)) {
+			/*
+			 * If a traversed tree has a missing blob then we want
+			 * to avoid adding that missing object to our pack.
+			 *
+			 * This only applies to missing blobs, not trees,
+			 * because the traversal needs to parse sub-trees but
+			 * not blobs.
+			 *
+			 * Note we only perform this check when we couldn't
+			 * already find the object in a pack, so we're really
+			 * limited to "ensure non-tip blobs which don't exist in
+			 * packs do exist via loose objects". Confused?
+			 */
+			return;
+		}
+
+		entry = create_object_entry(oid, type, pack_name_hash(name),
+					    0, name && no_try_delta(name),
+					    pack, offset);
+	}
+
+	if (mtime > oe_cruft_mtime(&to_pack, entry))
+		oe_set_cruft_mtime(&to_pack, entry, mtime);
+	return;
+}
+
+static void show_cruft_object(struct object *obj, const char *name, void *data)
+{
+	/*
+	 * if we did not record it earlier, it's at least as old as our
+	 * expiration value. Rather than find it exactly, just use that
+	 * value.  This may bump it forward from its real mtime, but it
+	 * will still be "too old" next time we run with the same
+	 * expiration.
+	 *
+	 * if obj does appear in the packing list, this call is a noop (or may
+	 * set the namehash).
+	 */
+	add_cruft_object_entry(&obj->oid, obj->type, NULL, 0, name, cruft_expiration);
+}
+
+static void show_cruft_commit(struct commit *commit, void *data)
+{
+	show_cruft_object((struct object*)commit, NULL, data);
+}
+
+static int cruft_include_check_obj(struct object *obj, void *data)
+{
+	return !has_object_kept_pack(&obj->oid, IN_CORE_KEEP_PACKS);
+}
+
+static int cruft_include_check(struct commit *commit, void *data)
+{
+	return cruft_include_check_obj((struct object*)commit, data);
+}
+
+static void set_cruft_mtime(const struct object *object,
+			    struct packed_git *pack,
+			    off_t offset, time_t mtime)
+{
+	add_cruft_object_entry(&object->oid, object->type, pack, offset, NULL,
+			       mtime);
+}
+
+static void mark_pack_kept_in_core(struct string_list *packs, unsigned keep)
+{
+	struct string_list_item *item = NULL;
+	for_each_string_list_item(item, packs) {
+		struct packed_git *p = item->util;
+		if (!p)
+			die(_("could not find pack '%s'"), item->string);
+		p->pack_keep_in_core = keep;
+	}
+}
+
+static void add_unreachable_loose_objects(void);
+static void add_objects_in_unpacked_packs(void);
+
+static void enumerate_cruft_objects(void)
+{
+	if (progress)
+		progress_state = start_progress(_("Enumerating cruft objects"), 0);
+
+	add_objects_in_unpacked_packs();
+	add_unreachable_loose_objects();
+
+	stop_progress(&progress_state);
+}
+
+static void enumerate_and_traverse_cruft_objects(struct string_list *fresh_packs)
+{
+	struct packed_git *p;
+	struct rev_info revs;
+	int ret;
+
+	repo_init_revisions(the_repository, &revs, NULL);
+
+	revs.tag_objects = 1;
+	revs.tree_objects = 1;
+	revs.blob_objects = 1;
+
+	revs.include_check = cruft_include_check;
+	revs.include_check_obj = cruft_include_check_obj;
+
+	revs.ignore_missing_links = 1;
+
+	if (progress)
+		progress_state = start_progress(_("Enumerating cruft objects"), 0);
+	ret = add_unseen_recent_objects_to_traversal(&revs, cruft_expiration,
+						     set_cruft_mtime, 1);
+	stop_progress(&progress_state);
+
+	if (ret)
+		die(_("unable to add cruft objects"));
+
+	/*
+	 * Re-mark only the fresh packs as kept so that objects in
+	 * unknown packs do not halt the reachability traversal early.
+	 */
+	for (p = get_all_packs(the_repository); p; p = p->next)
+		p->pack_keep_in_core = 0;
+	mark_pack_kept_in_core(fresh_packs, 1);
+
+	if (prepare_revision_walk(&revs))
+		die(_("revision walk setup failed"));
+	if (progress)
+		progress_state = start_progress(_("Traversing cruft objects"), 0);
+	nr_seen = 0;
+	traverse_commit_list(&revs, show_cruft_commit, show_cruft_object, NULL);
+
+	stop_progress(&progress_state);
+}
+
+static void read_cruft_objects(void)
+{
+	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+	struct string_list discard_packs = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
+	struct string_list fresh_packs = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
+	struct packed_git *p;
+
+	ignore_packed_keep_in_core = 1;
+
+	while (strbuf_getline(&buf, stdin) != EOF) {
+		if (!buf.len)
+			continue;
+
+		if (*buf.buf == '-')
+			string_list_append(&discard_packs, buf.buf + 1);
+		else
+			string_list_append(&fresh_packs, buf.buf);
+		strbuf_reset(&buf);
+	}
+
+	string_list_sort(&discard_packs);
+	string_list_sort(&fresh_packs);
+
+	for (p = get_all_packs(the_repository); p; p = p->next) {
+		const char *pack_name = pack_basename(p);
+		struct string_list_item *item;
+
+		item = string_list_lookup(&fresh_packs, pack_name);
+		if (!item)
+			item = string_list_lookup(&discard_packs, pack_name);
+
+		if (item) {
+			item->util = p;
+		} else {
+			/*
+			 * This pack wasn't mentioned in either the "fresh" or
+			 * "discard" list, so the caller didn't know about it.
+			 *
+			 * Mark it as kept so that its objects are ignored by
+			 * add_unseen_recent_objects_to_traversal(). We'll
+			 * unmark it before starting the traversal so it doesn't
+			 * halt the traversal early.
+			 */
+			p->pack_keep_in_core = 1;
+		}
+	}
+
+	mark_pack_kept_in_core(&fresh_packs, 1);
+	mark_pack_kept_in_core(&discard_packs, 0);
+
+	if (cruft_expiration)
+		enumerate_and_traverse_cruft_objects(&fresh_packs);
+	else
+		enumerate_cruft_objects();
+
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
+	string_list_clear(&discard_packs, 0);
+	string_list_clear(&fresh_packs, 0);
+}
+
 static void read_object_list_from_stdin(void)
 {
 	char line[GIT_MAX_HEXSZ + 1 + PATH_MAX + 2];
@@ -3535,7 +3755,24 @@ static int add_object_in_unpacked_pack(const struct object_id *oid,
 				       uint32_t pos,
 				       void *_data)
 {
-	add_object_entry(oid, OBJ_NONE, "", 0);
+	if (cruft) {
+		off_t offset;
+		time_t mtime;
+
+		if (pack->is_cruft) {
+			if (load_pack_mtimes(pack) < 0)
+				die(_("could not load cruft pack .mtimes"));
+			mtime = nth_packed_mtime(pack, pos);
+		} else {
+			mtime = pack->mtime;
+		}
+		offset = nth_packed_object_offset(pack, pos);
+
+		add_cruft_object_entry(oid, OBJ_NONE, pack, offset,
+				       NULL, mtime);
+	} else {
+		add_object_entry(oid, OBJ_NONE, "", 0);
+	}
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -3559,7 +3796,19 @@ static int add_loose_object(const struct object_id *oid, const char *path,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	add_object_entry(oid, type, "", 0);
+	if (cruft) {
+		struct stat st;
+		if (stat(path, &st) < 0) {
+			if (errno == ENOENT)
+				return 0;
+			return error_errno("unable to stat %s", oid_to_hex(oid));
+		}
+
+		add_cruft_object_entry(oid, type, NULL, 0, NULL,
+				       st.st_mtime);
+	} else {
+		add_object_entry(oid, type, "", 0);
+	}
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -3799,7 +4048,7 @@ static void get_object_list(struct rev_info *revs, int ac, const char **av)
 	if (unpack_unreachable_expiration) {
 		revs->ignore_missing_links = 1;
 		if (add_unseen_recent_objects_to_traversal(revs,
-				unpack_unreachable_expiration))
+				unpack_unreachable_expiration, NULL, 0))
 			die(_("unable to add recent objects"));
 		if (prepare_revision_walk(revs))
 			die(_("revision walk setup failed"));
@@ -3876,6 +4125,20 @@ static int option_parse_unpack_unreachable(const struct option *opt,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int option_parse_cruft_expiration(const struct option *opt,
+					 const char *arg, int unset)
+{
+	if (unset) {
+		cruft = 0;
+		cruft_expiration = 0;
+	} else {
+		cruft = 1;
+		if (arg)
+			cruft_expiration = approxidate(arg);
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 struct po_filter_data {
 	unsigned have_revs:1;
 	struct rev_info revs;
@@ -3965,6 +4228,10 @@ int cmd_pack_objects(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "unpack-unreachable", NULL, N_("time"),
 		  N_("unpack unreachable objects newer than <time>"),
 		  PARSE_OPT_OPTARG, option_parse_unpack_unreachable),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "cruft", &cruft, N_("create a cruft pack")),
+		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "cruft-expiration", NULL, N_("time"),
+		  N_("expire cruft objects older than <time>"),
+		  PARSE_OPT_OPTARG, option_parse_cruft_expiration),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "sparse", &sparse,
 			 N_("use the sparse reachability algorithm")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "thin", &thin,
@@ -4091,7 +4358,7 @@ int cmd_pack_objects(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	if (!HAVE_THREADS && delta_search_threads != 1)
 		warning(_("no threads support, ignoring --threads"));
-	if (!pack_to_stdout && !pack_size_limit)
+	if (!pack_to_stdout && !pack_size_limit && !cruft)
 		pack_size_limit = pack_size_limit_cfg;
 	if (pack_to_stdout && pack_size_limit)
 		die(_("--max-pack-size cannot be used to build a pack for transfer"));
@@ -4118,6 +4385,15 @@ int cmd_pack_objects(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (stdin_packs && use_internal_rev_list)
 		die(_("cannot use internal rev list with --stdin-packs"));
 
+	if (cruft) {
+		if (use_internal_rev_list)
+			die(_("cannot use internal rev list with --cruft"));
+		if (stdin_packs)
+			die(_("cannot use --stdin-packs with --cruft"));
+		if (pack_size_limit)
+			die(_("cannot use --max-pack-size with --cruft"));
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * "soft" reasons not to use bitmaps - for on-disk repack by default we want
 	 *
@@ -4174,7 +4450,7 @@ int cmd_pack_objects(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			    the_repository);
 	prepare_packing_data(the_repository, &to_pack);
 
-	if (progress)
+	if (progress && !cruft)
 		progress_state = start_progress(_("Enumerating objects"), 0);
 	if (stdin_packs) {
 		/* avoids adding objects in excluded packs */
@@ -4182,6 +4458,8 @@ int cmd_pack_objects(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		read_packs_list_from_stdin();
 		if (rev_list_unpacked)
 			add_unreachable_loose_objects();
+	} else if (cruft) {
+		read_cruft_objects();
 	} else if (!use_internal_rev_list) {
 		read_object_list_from_stdin();
 	} else if (pfd.have_revs) {
diff --git a/builtin/repack.c b/builtin/repack.c
index 0e4aae80c0..c957b2959f 100644
--- a/builtin/repack.c
+++ b/builtin/repack.c
@@ -18,12 +18,21 @@
 #include "pack-bitmap.h"
 #include "refs.h"
 
+#define ALL_INTO_ONE 1
+#define LOOSEN_UNREACHABLE 2
+#define PACK_CRUFT 4
+
+#define DELETE_PACK 1
+#define CRUFT_PACK 2
+
+static int pack_everything;
 static int delta_base_offset = 1;
 static int pack_kept_objects = -1;
 static int write_bitmaps = -1;
 static int use_delta_islands;
 static int run_update_server_info = 1;
 static char *packdir, *packtmp_name, *packtmp;
+static char *cruft_expiration;
 
 static const char *const git_repack_usage[] = {
 	N_("git repack [<options>]"),
@@ -35,9 +44,21 @@ static const char incremental_bitmap_conflict_error[] = N_(
 "--no-write-bitmap-index or disable the pack.writebitmaps configuration."
 );
 
+struct pack_objects_args {
+	const char *window;
+	const char *window_memory;
+	const char *depth;
+	const char *threads;
+	const char *max_pack_size;
+	int no_reuse_delta;
+	int no_reuse_object;
+	int quiet;
+	int local;
+};
 
 static int repack_config(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
 {
+	struct pack_objects_args *cruft_po_args = cb;
 	if (!strcmp(var, "repack.usedeltabaseoffset")) {
 		delta_base_offset = git_config_bool(var, value);
 		return 0;
@@ -59,6 +80,14 @@ static int repack_config(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
 		run_update_server_info = git_config_bool(var, value);
 		return 0;
 	}
+	if (!strcmp(var, "repack.cruftwindow"))
+		return git_config_string(&cruft_po_args->window, var, value);
+	if (!strcmp(var, "repack.cruftwindowmemory"))
+		return git_config_string(&cruft_po_args->window_memory, var, value);
+	if (!strcmp(var, "repack.cruftdepth"))
+		return git_config_string(&cruft_po_args->depth, var, value);
+	if (!strcmp(var, "repack.cruftthreads"))
+		return git_config_string(&cruft_po_args->threads, var, value);
 	return git_default_config(var, value, cb);
 }
 
@@ -131,10 +160,15 @@ static void collect_pack_filenames(struct string_list *fname_nonkept_list,
 		fname = xmemdupz(e->d_name, len);
 
 		if ((extra_keep->nr > 0 && i < extra_keep->nr) ||
-		    (file_exists(mkpath("%s/%s.keep", packdir, fname))))
+		    (file_exists(mkpath("%s/%s.keep", packdir, fname)))) {
 			string_list_append_nodup(fname_kept_list, fname);
-		else
-			string_list_append_nodup(fname_nonkept_list, fname);
+		} else {
+			struct string_list_item *item;
+			item = string_list_append_nodup(fname_nonkept_list,
+							fname);
+			if (file_exists(mkpath("%s/%s.mtimes", packdir, fname)))
+				item->util = (void*)(uintptr_t)CRUFT_PACK;
+		}
 	}
 	closedir(dir);
 
@@ -153,18 +187,6 @@ static void remove_redundant_pack(const char *dir_name, const char *base_name)
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
 }
 
-struct pack_objects_args {
-	const char *window;
-	const char *window_memory;
-	const char *depth;
-	const char *threads;
-	const char *max_pack_size;
-	int no_reuse_delta;
-	int no_reuse_object;
-	int quiet;
-	int local;
-};
-
 static void prepare_pack_objects(struct child_process *cmd,
 				 const struct pack_objects_args *args)
 {
@@ -219,6 +241,7 @@ static struct {
 } exts[] = {
 	{".pack"},
 	{".rev", 1},
+	{".mtimes", 1},
 	{".bitmap", 1},
 	{".promisor", 1},
 	{".idx"},
@@ -306,9 +329,6 @@ static void repack_promisor_objects(const struct pack_objects_args *args,
 		die(_("could not finish pack-objects to repack promisor objects"));
 }
 
-#define ALL_INTO_ONE 1
-#define LOOSEN_UNREACHABLE 2
-
 struct pack_geometry {
 	struct packed_git **pack;
 	uint32_t pack_nr, pack_alloc;
@@ -366,6 +386,8 @@ static void init_pack_geometry(struct pack_geometry **geometry_p,
 			if (string_list_has_string(existing_kept_packs, buf.buf))
 				continue;
 		}
+		if (p->is_cruft)
+			continue;
 
 		ALLOC_GROW(geometry->pack,
 			   geometry->pack_nr + 1,
@@ -572,9 +594,20 @@ static void midx_included_packs(struct string_list *include,
 
 			string_list_insert(include, strbuf_detach(&buf, NULL));
 		}
+
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, existing_nonkept_packs) {
+			if (!((uintptr_t)item->util & CRUFT_PACK)) {
+				/*
+				 * no need to check DELETE_PACK, since we're not
+				 * doing an ALL_INTO_ONE repack
+				 */
+				continue;
+			}
+			string_list_insert(include, xstrfmt("%s.idx", item->string));
+		}
 	} else {
 		for_each_string_list_item(item, existing_nonkept_packs) {
-			if (item->util)
+			if ((uintptr_t)item->util & DELETE_PACK)
 				continue;
 			string_list_insert(include, xstrfmt("%s.idx", item->string));
 		}
@@ -628,6 +661,67 @@ static int write_midx_included_packs(struct string_list *include,
 	return finish_command(&cmd);
 }
 
+static int write_cruft_pack(const struct pack_objects_args *args,
+			    const char *pack_prefix,
+			    struct string_list *names,
+			    struct string_list *existing_packs,
+			    struct string_list *existing_kept_packs)
+{
+	struct child_process cmd = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
+	struct strbuf line = STRBUF_INIT;
+	struct string_list_item *item;
+	FILE *in, *out;
+	int ret;
+
+	prepare_pack_objects(&cmd, args);
+
+	strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--cruft");
+	if (cruft_expiration)
+		strvec_pushf(&cmd.args, "--cruft-expiration=%s",
+			     cruft_expiration);
+
+	strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--honor-pack-keep");
+	strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--non-empty");
+	strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--max-pack-size=0");
+
+	cmd.in = -1;
+
+	ret = start_command(&cmd);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	/*
+	 * names has a confusing double use: it both provides the list
+	 * of just-written new packs, and accepts the name of the cruft
+	 * pack we are writing.
+	 *
+	 * By the time it is read here, it contains only the pack(s)
+	 * that were just written, which is exactly the set of packs we
+	 * want to consider kept.
+	 */
+	in = xfdopen(cmd.in, "w");
+	for_each_string_list_item(item, names)
+		fprintf(in, "%s-%s.pack\n", pack_prefix, item->string);
+	for_each_string_list_item(item, existing_packs)
+		fprintf(in, "-%s.pack\n", item->string);
+	for_each_string_list_item(item, existing_kept_packs)
+		fprintf(in, "%s.pack\n", item->string);
+	fclose(in);
+
+	out = xfdopen(cmd.out, "r");
+	while (strbuf_getline_lf(&line, out) != EOF) {
+		if (line.len != the_hash_algo->hexsz)
+			die(_("repack: Expecting full hex object ID lines only "
+			      "from pack-objects."));
+		string_list_append(names, line.buf);
+	}
+	fclose(out);
+
+	strbuf_release(&line);
+
+	return finish_command(&cmd);
+}
+
 int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	struct child_process cmd = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
@@ -644,12 +738,12 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	int show_progress;
 
 	/* variables to be filled by option parsing */
-	int pack_everything = 0;
 	int delete_redundant = 0;
 	const char *unpack_unreachable = NULL;
 	int keep_unreachable = 0;
 	struct string_list keep_pack_list = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
 	struct pack_objects_args po_args = {NULL};
+	struct pack_objects_args cruft_po_args = {NULL};
 	int geometric_factor = 0;
 	int write_midx = 0;
 
@@ -659,6 +753,11 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_BIT('A', NULL, &pack_everything,
 				N_("same as -a, and turn unreachable objects loose"),
 				   LOOSEN_UNREACHABLE | ALL_INTO_ONE),
+		OPT_BIT(0, "cruft", &pack_everything,
+				N_("same as -a, pack unreachable cruft objects separately"),
+				   PACK_CRUFT),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "cruft-expiration", &cruft_expiration, N_("approxidate"),
+				N_("with -C, expire objects older than this")),
 		OPT_BOOL('d', NULL, &delete_redundant,
 				N_("remove redundant packs, and run git-prune-packed")),
 		OPT_BOOL('f', NULL, &po_args.no_reuse_delta,
@@ -699,7 +798,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
-	git_config(repack_config, NULL);
+	git_config(repack_config, &cruft_po_args);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_repack_options,
 				git_repack_usage, 0);
@@ -711,6 +810,15 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	    (unpack_unreachable || (pack_everything & LOOSEN_UNREACHABLE)))
 		die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--keep-unreachable", "-A");
 
+	if (pack_everything & PACK_CRUFT) {
+		pack_everything |= ALL_INTO_ONE;
+
+		if (unpack_unreachable || (pack_everything & LOOSEN_UNREACHABLE))
+			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--cruft", "-A");
+		if (keep_unreachable)
+			die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--cruft", "-k");
+	}
+
 	if (write_bitmaps < 0) {
 		if (!write_midx &&
 		    (!(pack_everything & ALL_INTO_ONE) || !is_bare_repository()))
@@ -794,7 +902,8 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (pack_everything & ALL_INTO_ONE) {
 		repack_promisor_objects(&po_args, &names);
 
-		if (existing_nonkept_packs.nr && delete_redundant) {
+		if (existing_nonkept_packs.nr && delete_redundant &&
+		    !(pack_everything & PACK_CRUFT)) {
 			for_each_string_list_item(item, &names) {
 				strvec_pushf(&cmd.args, "--keep-pack=%s-%s.pack",
 					     packtmp_name, item->string);
@@ -856,6 +965,33 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (!names.nr && !po_args.quiet)
 		printf_ln(_("Nothing new to pack."));
 
+	if (pack_everything & PACK_CRUFT) {
+		const char *pack_prefix;
+		if (!skip_prefix(packtmp, packdir, &pack_prefix))
+			die(_("pack prefix %s does not begin with objdir %s"),
+			    packtmp, packdir);
+		if (*pack_prefix == '/')
+			pack_prefix++;
+
+		if (!cruft_po_args.window)
+			cruft_po_args.window = po_args.window;
+		if (!cruft_po_args.window_memory)
+			cruft_po_args.window_memory = po_args.window_memory;
+		if (!cruft_po_args.depth)
+			cruft_po_args.depth = po_args.depth;
+		if (!cruft_po_args.threads)
+			cruft_po_args.threads = po_args.threads;
+
+		cruft_po_args.local = po_args.local;
+		cruft_po_args.quiet = po_args.quiet;
+
+		ret = write_cruft_pack(&cruft_po_args, pack_prefix, &names,
+				       &existing_nonkept_packs,
+				       &existing_kept_packs);
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
+	}
+
 	string_list_sort(&names);
 
 	for_each_string_list_item(item, &names) {
@@ -910,7 +1046,8 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			 * was given) and that we will actually delete this pack
 			 * (if `-d` was given).
 			 */
-			item->util = (void*)(intptr_t)!string_list_has_string(&names, sha1);
+			if (!string_list_has_string(&names, sha1))
+				item->util = (void*)(uintptr_t)((size_t)item->util | DELETE_PACK);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -934,7 +1071,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (delete_redundant) {
 		int opts = 0;
 		for_each_string_list_item(item, &existing_nonkept_packs) {
-			if (!item->util)
+			if (!((uintptr_t)item->util & DELETE_PACK))
 				continue;
 			remove_redundant_pack(packdir, item->string);
 		}
diff --git a/bulk-checkin.c b/bulk-checkin.c
index bcf878460b..98ec893842 100644
--- a/bulk-checkin.c
+++ b/bulk-checkin.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ static void finish_tmp_packfile(struct strbuf *basename,
 	char *idx_tmp_name = NULL;
 
 	stage_tmp_packfiles(basename, pack_tmp_name, written_list, nr_written,
-			    pack_idx_opts, hash, &idx_tmp_name);
+			    NULL, pack_idx_opts, hash, &idx_tmp_name);
 	rename_tmp_packfile_idx(basename, &idx_tmp_name);
 
 	free(idx_tmp_name);
diff --git a/chunk-format.c b/chunk-format.c
index 1c3dca62e2..0275b74a89 100644
--- a/chunk-format.c
+++ b/chunk-format.c
@@ -181,3 +181,15 @@ int read_chunk(struct chunkfile *cf,
 
 	return CHUNK_NOT_FOUND;
 }
+
+uint8_t oid_version(const struct git_hash_algo *algop)
+{
+	switch (hash_algo_by_ptr(algop)) {
+	case GIT_HASH_SHA1:
+		return 1;
+	case GIT_HASH_SHA256:
+		return 2;
+	default:
+		die(_("invalid hash version"));
+	}
+}
diff --git a/chunk-format.h b/chunk-format.h
index 9ccbe00377..7885aa0848 100644
--- a/chunk-format.h
+++ b/chunk-format.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define CHUNK_FORMAT_H
 
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
+#include "hash.h"
 
 struct hashfile;
 struct chunkfile;
@@ -65,4 +66,6 @@ int read_chunk(struct chunkfile *cf,
 	       chunk_read_fn fn,
 	       void *data);
 
+uint8_t oid_version(const struct git_hash_algo *algop);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/commit-graph.c b/commit-graph.c
index 7943da3848..92d4503336 100644
--- a/commit-graph.c
+++ b/commit-graph.c
@@ -193,18 +193,6 @@ char *get_commit_graph_chain_filename(struct object_directory *odb)
 	return xstrfmt("%s/info/commit-graphs/commit-graph-chain", odb->path);
 }
 
-static uint8_t oid_version(void)
-{
-	switch (hash_algo_by_ptr(the_hash_algo)) {
-	case GIT_HASH_SHA1:
-		return 1;
-	case GIT_HASH_SHA256:
-		return 2;
-	default:
-		die(_("invalid hash version"));
-	}
-}
-
 static struct commit_graph *alloc_commit_graph(void)
 {
 	struct commit_graph *g = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*g));
@@ -365,9 +353,9 @@ struct commit_graph *parse_commit_graph(struct repository *r,
 	}
 
 	hash_version = *(unsigned char*)(data + 5);
-	if (hash_version != oid_version()) {
+	if (hash_version != oid_version(the_hash_algo)) {
 		error(_("commit-graph hash version %X does not match version %X"),
-		      hash_version, oid_version());
+		      hash_version, oid_version(the_hash_algo));
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -1924,7 +1912,7 @@ static int write_commit_graph_file(struct write_commit_graph_context *ctx)
 	hashwrite_be32(f, GRAPH_SIGNATURE);
 
 	hashwrite_u8(f, GRAPH_VERSION);
-	hashwrite_u8(f, oid_version());
+	hashwrite_u8(f, oid_version(the_hash_algo));
 	hashwrite_u8(f, get_num_chunks(cf));
 	hashwrite_u8(f, ctx->num_commit_graphs_after - 1);
 
diff --git a/midx.c b/midx.c
index 3db0e47735..c617c51cd0 100644
--- a/midx.c
+++ b/midx.c
@@ -41,18 +41,6 @@
 
 #define PACK_EXPIRED UINT_MAX
 
-static uint8_t oid_version(void)
-{
-	switch (hash_algo_by_ptr(the_hash_algo)) {
-	case GIT_HASH_SHA1:
-		return 1;
-	case GIT_HASH_SHA256:
-		return 2;
-	default:
-		die(_("invalid hash version"));
-	}
-}
-
 const unsigned char *get_midx_checksum(struct multi_pack_index *m)
 {
 	return m->data + m->data_len - the_hash_algo->rawsz;
@@ -134,9 +122,9 @@ struct multi_pack_index *load_multi_pack_index(const char *object_dir, int local
 		      m->version);
 
 	hash_version = m->data[MIDX_BYTE_HASH_VERSION];
-	if (hash_version != oid_version()) {
+	if (hash_version != oid_version(the_hash_algo)) {
 		error(_("multi-pack-index hash version %u does not match version %u"),
-		      hash_version, oid_version());
+		      hash_version, oid_version(the_hash_algo));
 		goto cleanup_fail;
 	}
 	m->hash_len = the_hash_algo->rawsz;
@@ -420,7 +408,7 @@ static size_t write_midx_header(struct hashfile *f,
 {
 	hashwrite_be32(f, MIDX_SIGNATURE);
 	hashwrite_u8(f, MIDX_VERSION);
-	hashwrite_u8(f, oid_version());
+	hashwrite_u8(f, oid_version(the_hash_algo));
 	hashwrite_u8(f, num_chunks);
 	hashwrite_u8(f, 0); /* unused */
 	hashwrite_be32(f, num_packs);
diff --git a/object-file.c b/object-file.c
index 857f3bdeba..79eb8339b6 100644
--- a/object-file.c
+++ b/object-file.c
@@ -997,7 +997,7 @@ int has_loose_object_nonlocal(const struct object_id *oid)
 	return check_and_freshen_nonlocal(oid, 0);
 }
 
-static int has_loose_object(const struct object_id *oid)
+int has_loose_object(const struct object_id *oid)
 {
 	return check_and_freshen(oid, 0);
 }
@@ -2040,6 +2040,8 @@ static int freshen_packed_object(const struct object_id *oid)
 	struct pack_entry e;
 	if (!find_pack_entry(the_repository, oid, &e))
 		return 0;
+	if (e.p->is_cruft)
+		return 0;
 	if (e.p->freshened)
 		return 1;
 	if (!freshen_file(e.p->pack_name))
diff --git a/object-store.h b/object-store.h
index 53996018c1..539ea43904 100644
--- a/object-store.h
+++ b/object-store.h
@@ -115,12 +115,20 @@ struct packed_git {
 		 freshened:1,
 		 do_not_close:1,
 		 pack_promisor:1,
-		 multi_pack_index:1;
+		 multi_pack_index:1,
+		 is_cruft:1;
 	unsigned char hash[GIT_MAX_RAWSZ];
 	struct revindex_entry *revindex;
 	const uint32_t *revindex_data;
 	const uint32_t *revindex_map;
 	size_t revindex_size;
+	/*
+	 * mtimes_map points at the beginning of the memory mapped region of
+	 * this pack's corresponding .mtimes file, and mtimes_size is the size
+	 * of that .mtimes file
+	 */
+	const uint32_t *mtimes_map;
+	size_t mtimes_size;
 	/* something like ".git/objects/pack/xxxxx.pack" */
 	char pack_name[FLEX_ARRAY]; /* more */
 };
@@ -327,6 +335,8 @@ int repo_has_object_file_with_flags(struct repository *r,
  */
 int has_loose_object_nonlocal(const struct object_id *);
 
+int has_loose_object(const struct object_id *);
+
 /**
  * format_object_header() is a thin wrapper around s xsnprintf() that
  * writes the initial "<type> <obj-len>" part of the loose object
diff --git a/pack-mtimes.c b/pack-mtimes.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0e0aafdcb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pack-mtimes.c
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+#include "git-compat-util.h"
+#include "pack-mtimes.h"
+#include "object-store.h"
+#include "packfile.h"
+
+static char *pack_mtimes_filename(struct packed_git *p)
+{
+	size_t len;
+	if (!strip_suffix(p->pack_name, ".pack", &len))
+		BUG("pack_name does not end in .pack");
+	return xstrfmt("%.*s.mtimes", (int)len, p->pack_name);
+}
+
+#define MTIMES_HEADER_SIZE (12)
+
+struct mtimes_header {
+	uint32_t signature;
+	uint32_t version;
+	uint32_t hash_id;
+};
+
+static int load_pack_mtimes_file(char *mtimes_file,
+				 uint32_t num_objects,
+				 const uint32_t **data_p, size_t *len_p)
+{
+	int fd, ret = 0;
+	struct stat st;
+	uint32_t *data = NULL;
+	size_t mtimes_size, expected_size;
+	struct mtimes_header header;
+
+	fd = git_open(mtimes_file);
+
+	if (fd < 0) {
+		ret = -1;
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+	if (fstat(fd, &st)) {
+		ret = error_errno(_("failed to read %s"), mtimes_file);
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	mtimes_size = xsize_t(st.st_size);
+
+	if (mtimes_size < MTIMES_HEADER_SIZE) {
+		ret = error(_("mtimes file %s is too small"), mtimes_file);
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	data = xmmap(NULL, mtimes_size, PROT_READ, MAP_PRIVATE, fd, 0);
+
+	header.signature = ntohl(data[0]);
+	header.version = ntohl(data[1]);
+	header.hash_id = ntohl(data[2]);
+
+	if (header.signature != MTIMES_SIGNATURE) {
+		ret = error(_("mtimes file %s has unknown signature"), mtimes_file);
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	if (header.version != 1) {
+		ret = error(_("mtimes file %s has unsupported version %"PRIu32),
+			    mtimes_file, header.version);
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	if (!(header.hash_id == 1 || header.hash_id == 2)) {
+		ret = error(_("mtimes file %s has unsupported hash id %"PRIu32),
+			    mtimes_file, header.hash_id);
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+
+	expected_size = MTIMES_HEADER_SIZE;
+	expected_size = st_add(expected_size, st_mult(sizeof(uint32_t), num_objects));
+	expected_size = st_add(expected_size, 2 * (header.hash_id == 1 ? GIT_SHA1_RAWSZ : GIT_SHA256_RAWSZ));
+
+	if (mtimes_size != expected_size) {
+		ret = error(_("mtimes file %s is corrupt"), mtimes_file);
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+cleanup:
+	if (ret) {
+		if (data)
+			munmap(data, mtimes_size);
+	} else {
+		*len_p = mtimes_size;
+		*data_p = data;
+	}
+
+	close(fd);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int load_pack_mtimes(struct packed_git *p)
+{
+	char *mtimes_name = NULL;
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	if (!p->is_cruft)
+		return ret; /* not a cruft pack */
+	if (p->mtimes_map)
+		return ret; /* already loaded */
+
+	ret = open_pack_index(p);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto cleanup;
+
+	mtimes_name = pack_mtimes_filename(p);
+	ret = load_pack_mtimes_file(mtimes_name,
+				    p->num_objects,
+				    &p->mtimes_map,
+				    &p->mtimes_size);
+cleanup:
+	free(mtimes_name);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+uint32_t nth_packed_mtime(struct packed_git *p, uint32_t pos)
+{
+	if (!p->mtimes_map)
+		BUG("pack .mtimes file not loaded for %s", p->pack_name);
+	if (p->num_objects <= pos)
+		BUG("pack .mtimes out-of-bounds (%"PRIu32" vs %"PRIu32")",
+		    pos, p->num_objects);
+
+	return get_be32(p->mtimes_map + pos + 3);
+}
diff --git a/pack-mtimes.h b/pack-mtimes.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cc957b3e85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pack-mtimes.h
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#ifndef PACK_MTIMES_H
+#define PACK_MTIMES_H
+
+#include "git-compat-util.h"
+
+#define MTIMES_SIGNATURE 0x4d544d45 /* "MTME" */
+#define MTIMES_VERSION 1
+
+struct packed_git;
+
+/*
+ * Loads the .mtimes file corresponding to "p", if any, returning zero
+ * on success.
+ */
+int load_pack_mtimes(struct packed_git *p);
+
+/* Returns the mtime associated with the object at position "pos" (in
+ * lexicographic/index order) in pack "p".
+ *
+ * Note that it is a BUG() to call this function if either (a) "p" does
+ * not have a corresponding .mtimes file, or (b) it does, but it hasn't
+ * been loaded
+ */
+uint32_t nth_packed_mtime(struct packed_git *p, uint32_t pos);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/pack-objects.c b/pack-objects.c
index fe2a4eace9..272e8d4517 100644
--- a/pack-objects.c
+++ b/pack-objects.c
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ struct object_entry *packlist_alloc(struct packing_data *pdata,
 
 		if (pdata->layer)
 			REALLOC_ARRAY(pdata->layer, pdata->nr_alloc);
+
+		if (pdata->cruft_mtime)
+			REALLOC_ARRAY(pdata->cruft_mtime, pdata->nr_alloc);
 	}
 
 	new_entry = pdata->objects + pdata->nr_objects++;
@@ -198,6 +201,9 @@ struct object_entry *packlist_alloc(struct packing_data *pdata,
 	if (pdata->layer)
 		pdata->layer[pdata->nr_objects - 1] = 0;
 
+	if (pdata->cruft_mtime)
+		pdata->cruft_mtime[pdata->nr_objects - 1] = 0;
+
 	return new_entry;
 }
 
diff --git a/pack-objects.h b/pack-objects.h
index dca2351ef9..393b9db546 100644
--- a/pack-objects.h
+++ b/pack-objects.h
@@ -168,6 +168,14 @@ struct packing_data {
 	/* delta islands */
 	unsigned int *tree_depth;
 	unsigned char *layer;
+
+	/*
+	 * Used when writing cruft packs.
+	 *
+	 * Object mtimes are stored in pack order when writing, but
+	 * written out in lexicographic (index) order.
+	 */
+	uint32_t *cruft_mtime;
 };
 
 void prepare_packing_data(struct repository *r, struct packing_data *pdata);
@@ -289,4 +297,21 @@ static inline void oe_set_layer(struct packing_data *pack,
 	pack->layer[e - pack->objects] = layer;
 }
 
+static inline uint32_t oe_cruft_mtime(struct packing_data *pack,
+				      struct object_entry *e)
+{
+	if (!pack->cruft_mtime)
+		return 0;
+	return pack->cruft_mtime[e - pack->objects];
+}
+
+static inline void oe_set_cruft_mtime(struct packing_data *pack,
+				      struct object_entry *e,
+				      uint32_t mtime)
+{
+	if (!pack->cruft_mtime)
+		CALLOC_ARRAY(pack->cruft_mtime, pack->nr_alloc);
+	pack->cruft_mtime[e - pack->objects] = mtime;
+}
+
 #endif
diff --git a/pack-write.c b/pack-write.c
index 51812cb129..23c0342018 100644
--- a/pack-write.c
+++ b/pack-write.c
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 #include "pack.h"
 #include "csum-file.h"
 #include "remote.h"
+#include "chunk-format.h"
+#include "pack-mtimes.h"
+#include "oidmap.h"
+#include "chunk-format.h"
+#include "pack-objects.h"
 
 void reset_pack_idx_option(struct pack_idx_option *opts)
 {
@@ -181,21 +186,9 @@ static int pack_order_cmp(const void *va, const void *vb, void *ctx)
 
 static void write_rev_header(struct hashfile *f)
 {
-	uint32_t oid_version;
-	switch (hash_algo_by_ptr(the_hash_algo)) {
-	case GIT_HASH_SHA1:
-		oid_version = 1;
-		break;
-	case GIT_HASH_SHA256:
-		oid_version = 2;
-		break;
-	default:
-		die("write_rev_header: unknown hash version");
-	}
-
 	hashwrite_be32(f, RIDX_SIGNATURE);
 	hashwrite_be32(f, RIDX_VERSION);
-	hashwrite_be32(f, oid_version);
+	hashwrite_be32(f, oid_version(the_hash_algo));
 }
 
 static void write_rev_index_positions(struct hashfile *f,
@@ -288,6 +281,70 @@ const char *write_rev_file_order(const char *rev_name,
 	return rev_name;
 }
 
+static void write_mtimes_header(struct hashfile *f)
+{
+	hashwrite_be32(f, MTIMES_SIGNATURE);
+	hashwrite_be32(f, MTIMES_VERSION);
+	hashwrite_be32(f, oid_version(the_hash_algo));
+}
+
+/*
+ * Writes the object mtimes of "objects" for use in a .mtimes file.
+ * Note that objects must be in lexicographic (index) order, which is
+ * the expected ordering of these values in the .mtimes file.
+ */
+static void write_mtimes_objects(struct hashfile *f,
+				 struct packing_data *to_pack,
+				 struct pack_idx_entry **objects,
+				 uint32_t nr_objects)
+{
+	uint32_t i;
+	for (i = 0; i < nr_objects; i++) {
+		struct object_entry *e = (struct object_entry*)objects[i];
+		hashwrite_be32(f, oe_cruft_mtime(to_pack, e));
+	}
+}
+
+static void write_mtimes_trailer(struct hashfile *f, const unsigned char *hash)
+{
+	hashwrite(f, hash, the_hash_algo->rawsz);
+}
+
+static const char *write_mtimes_file(const char *mtimes_name,
+				     struct packing_data *to_pack,
+				     struct pack_idx_entry **objects,
+				     uint32_t nr_objects,
+				     const unsigned char *hash)
+{
+	struct hashfile *f;
+	int fd;
+
+	if (!to_pack)
+		BUG("cannot call write_mtimes_file with NULL packing_data");
+
+	if (!mtimes_name) {
+		struct strbuf tmp_file = STRBUF_INIT;
+		fd = odb_mkstemp(&tmp_file, "pack/tmp_mtimes_XXXXXX");
+		mtimes_name = strbuf_detach(&tmp_file, NULL);
+	} else {
+		unlink(mtimes_name);
+		fd = xopen(mtimes_name, O_CREAT|O_EXCL|O_WRONLY, 0600);
+	}
+	f = hashfd(fd, mtimes_name);
+
+	write_mtimes_header(f);
+	write_mtimes_objects(f, to_pack, objects, nr_objects);
+	write_mtimes_trailer(f, hash);
+
+	if (adjust_shared_perm(mtimes_name) < 0)
+		die(_("failed to make %s readable"), mtimes_name);
+
+	finalize_hashfile(f, NULL, FSYNC_COMPONENT_PACK_METADATA,
+			  CSUM_HASH_IN_STREAM | CSUM_CLOSE | CSUM_FSYNC);
+
+	return mtimes_name;
+}
+
 off_t write_pack_header(struct hashfile *f, uint32_t nr_entries)
 {
 	struct pack_header hdr;
@@ -484,11 +541,13 @@ void stage_tmp_packfiles(struct strbuf *name_buffer,
 			 const char *pack_tmp_name,
 			 struct pack_idx_entry **written_list,
 			 uint32_t nr_written,
+			 struct packing_data *to_pack,
 			 struct pack_idx_option *pack_idx_opts,
 			 unsigned char hash[],
 			 char **idx_tmp_name)
 {
 	const char *rev_tmp_name = NULL;
+	const char *mtimes_tmp_name = NULL;
 
 	if (adjust_shared_perm(pack_tmp_name))
 		die_errno("unable to make temporary pack file readable");
@@ -501,9 +560,17 @@ void stage_tmp_packfiles(struct strbuf *name_buffer,
 	rev_tmp_name = write_rev_file(NULL, written_list, nr_written, hash,
 				      pack_idx_opts->flags);
 
+	if (pack_idx_opts->flags & WRITE_MTIMES) {
+		mtimes_tmp_name = write_mtimes_file(NULL, to_pack, written_list,
+						    nr_written,
+						    hash);
+	}
+
 	rename_tmp_packfile(name_buffer, pack_tmp_name, "pack");
 	if (rev_tmp_name)
 		rename_tmp_packfile(name_buffer, rev_tmp_name, "rev");
+	if (mtimes_tmp_name)
+		rename_tmp_packfile(name_buffer, mtimes_tmp_name, "mtimes");
 }
 
 void write_promisor_file(const char *promisor_name, struct ref **sought, int nr_sought)
diff --git a/pack.h b/pack.h
index b22bfc4a18..01d385903a 100644
--- a/pack.h
+++ b/pack.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ struct pack_idx_option {
 #define WRITE_IDX_STRICT 02
 #define WRITE_REV 04
 #define WRITE_REV_VERIFY 010
+#define WRITE_MTIMES 020
 
 	uint32_t version;
 	uint32_t off32_limit;
@@ -109,11 +110,14 @@ int encode_in_pack_object_header(unsigned char *hdr, int hdr_len,
 #define PH_ERROR_PROTOCOL	(-3)
 int read_pack_header(int fd, struct pack_header *);
 
+struct packing_data;
+
 struct hashfile *create_tmp_packfile(char **pack_tmp_name);
 void stage_tmp_packfiles(struct strbuf *name_buffer,
 			 const char *pack_tmp_name,
 			 struct pack_idx_entry **written_list,
 			 uint32_t nr_written,
+			 struct packing_data *to_pack,
 			 struct pack_idx_option *pack_idx_opts,
 			 unsigned char hash[],
 			 char **idx_tmp_name);
diff --git a/packfile.c b/packfile.c
index 6b88a56025..8e812a84a3 100644
--- a/packfile.c
+++ b/packfile.c
@@ -334,12 +334,22 @@ static void close_pack_revindex(struct packed_git *p)
 	p->revindex_data = NULL;
 }
 
+static void close_pack_mtimes(struct packed_git *p)
+{
+	if (!p->mtimes_map)
+		return;
+
+	munmap((void *)p->mtimes_map, p->mtimes_size);
+	p->mtimes_map = NULL;
+}
+
 void close_pack(struct packed_git *p)
 {
 	close_pack_windows(p);
 	close_pack_fd(p);
 	close_pack_index(p);
 	close_pack_revindex(p);
+	close_pack_mtimes(p);
 	oidset_clear(&p->bad_objects);
 }
 
@@ -363,7 +373,7 @@ void close_object_store(struct raw_object_store *o)
 
 void unlink_pack_path(const char *pack_name, int force_delete)
 {
-	static const char *exts[] = {".pack", ".idx", ".rev", ".keep", ".bitmap", ".promisor"};
+	static const char *exts[] = {".pack", ".idx", ".rev", ".keep", ".bitmap", ".promisor", ".mtimes"};
 	int i;
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	size_t plen;
@@ -718,6 +728,10 @@ struct packed_git *add_packed_git(const char *path, size_t path_len, int local)
 	if (!access(p->pack_name, F_OK))
 		p->pack_promisor = 1;
 
+	xsnprintf(p->pack_name + path_len, alloc - path_len, ".mtimes");
+	if (!access(p->pack_name, F_OK))
+		p->is_cruft = 1;
+
 	xsnprintf(p->pack_name + path_len, alloc - path_len, ".pack");
 	if (stat(p->pack_name, &st) || !S_ISREG(st.st_mode)) {
 		free(p);
@@ -869,7 +883,8 @@ static void prepare_pack(const char *full_name, size_t full_name_len,
 	    ends_with(file_name, ".pack") ||
 	    ends_with(file_name, ".bitmap") ||
 	    ends_with(file_name, ".keep") ||
-	    ends_with(file_name, ".promisor"))
+	    ends_with(file_name, ".promisor") ||
+	    ends_with(file_name, ".mtimes"))
 		string_list_append(data->garbage, full_name);
 	else
 		report_garbage(PACKDIR_FILE_GARBAGE, full_name);
diff --git a/reachable.c b/reachable.c
index b9f4ad886e..aba63ebeb3 100644
--- a/reachable.c
+++ b/reachable.c
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "worktree.h"
 #include "object-store.h"
 #include "pack-bitmap.h"
+#include "pack-mtimes.h"
 
 struct connectivity_progress {
 	struct progress *progress;
@@ -60,9 +61,13 @@ static void mark_commit(struct commit *c, void *data)
 struct recent_data {
 	struct rev_info *revs;
 	timestamp_t timestamp;
+	report_recent_object_fn *cb;
+	int ignore_in_core_kept_packs;
 };
 
 static void add_recent_object(const struct object_id *oid,
+			      struct packed_git *pack,
+			      off_t offset,
 			      timestamp_t mtime,
 			      struct recent_data *data)
 {
@@ -103,13 +108,29 @@ static void add_recent_object(const struct object_id *oid,
 		die("unable to lookup %s", oid_to_hex(oid));
 
 	add_pending_object(data->revs, obj, "");
+	if (data->cb)
+		data->cb(obj, pack, offset, mtime);
+}
+
+static int want_recent_object(struct recent_data *data,
+			      const struct object_id *oid)
+{
+	if (data->ignore_in_core_kept_packs &&
+	    has_object_kept_pack(oid, IN_CORE_KEEP_PACKS))
+		return 0;
+	return 1;
 }
 
 static int add_recent_loose(const struct object_id *oid,
 			    const char *path, void *data)
 {
 	struct stat st;
-	struct object *obj = lookup_object(the_repository, oid);
+	struct object *obj;
+
+	if (!want_recent_object(data, oid))
+		return 0;
+
+	obj = lookup_object(the_repository, oid);
 
 	if (obj && obj->flags & SEEN)
 		return 0;
@@ -126,7 +147,7 @@ static int add_recent_loose(const struct object_id *oid,
 		return error_errno("unable to stat %s", oid_to_hex(oid));
 	}
 
-	add_recent_object(oid, st.st_mtime, data);
+	add_recent_object(oid, NULL, 0, st.st_mtime, data);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -134,29 +155,49 @@ static int add_recent_packed(const struct object_id *oid,
 			     struct packed_git *p, uint32_t pos,
 			     void *data)
 {
-	struct object *obj = lookup_object(the_repository, oid);
+	struct object *obj;
+	timestamp_t mtime = p->mtime;
+
+	if (!want_recent_object(data, oid))
+		return 0;
+
+	obj = lookup_object(the_repository, oid);
 
 	if (obj && obj->flags & SEEN)
 		return 0;
-	add_recent_object(oid, p->mtime, data);
+	if (p->is_cruft) {
+		if (load_pack_mtimes(p) < 0)
+			die(_("could not load cruft pack .mtimes"));
+		mtime = nth_packed_mtime(p, pos);
+	}
+	add_recent_object(oid, p, nth_packed_object_offset(p, pos), mtime, data);
 	return 0;
 }
 
 int add_unseen_recent_objects_to_traversal(struct rev_info *revs,
-					   timestamp_t timestamp)
+					   timestamp_t timestamp,
+					   report_recent_object_fn *cb,
+					   int ignore_in_core_kept_packs)
 {
 	struct recent_data data;
+	enum for_each_object_flags flags;
 	int r;
 
 	data.revs = revs;
 	data.timestamp = timestamp;
+	data.cb = cb;
+	data.ignore_in_core_kept_packs = ignore_in_core_kept_packs;
 
 	r = for_each_loose_object(add_recent_loose, &data,
 				  FOR_EACH_OBJECT_LOCAL_ONLY);
 	if (r)
 		return r;
-	return for_each_packed_object(add_recent_packed, &data,
-				      FOR_EACH_OBJECT_LOCAL_ONLY);
+
+	flags = FOR_EACH_OBJECT_LOCAL_ONLY | FOR_EACH_OBJECT_PACK_ORDER;
+	if (ignore_in_core_kept_packs)
+		flags |= FOR_EACH_OBJECT_SKIP_IN_CORE_KEPT_PACKS;
+
+	return for_each_packed_object(add_recent_packed, &data, flags);
 }
 
 static int mark_object_seen(const struct object_id *oid,
@@ -217,7 +258,8 @@ void mark_reachable_objects(struct rev_info *revs, int mark_reflog,
 
 	if (mark_recent) {
 		revs->ignore_missing_links = 1;
-		if (add_unseen_recent_objects_to_traversal(revs, mark_recent))
+		if (add_unseen_recent_objects_to_traversal(revs, mark_recent,
+							   NULL, 0))
 			die("unable to mark recent objects");
 		if (prepare_revision_walk(revs))
 			die("revision walk setup failed");
diff --git a/reachable.h b/reachable.h
index 5df932ad8f..020a887b99 100644
--- a/reachable.h
+++ b/reachable.h
@@ -3,9 +3,16 @@
 
 struct progress;
 struct rev_info;
+struct object;
+struct packed_git;
+
+typedef void report_recent_object_fn(const struct object *, struct packed_git *,
+				     off_t, time_t);
 
 int add_unseen_recent_objects_to_traversal(struct rev_info *revs,
-					   timestamp_t timestamp);
+					   timestamp_t timestamp,
+					   report_recent_object_fn cb,
+					   int ignore_in_core_kept_packs);
 void mark_reachable_objects(struct rev_info *revs, int mark_reflog,
 			    timestamp_t mark_recent, struct progress *);
 
diff --git a/t/helper/test-pack-mtimes.c b/t/helper/test-pack-mtimes.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f7b79daf4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/helper/test-pack-mtimes.c
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+#include "git-compat-util.h"
+#include "test-tool.h"
+#include "strbuf.h"
+#include "object-store.h"
+#include "packfile.h"
+#include "pack-mtimes.h"
+
+static void dump_mtimes(struct packed_git *p)
+{
+	uint32_t i;
+	if (load_pack_mtimes(p) < 0)
+		die("could not load pack .mtimes");
+
+	for (i = 0; i < p->num_objects; i++) {
+		struct object_id oid;
+		if (nth_packed_object_id(&oid, p, i) < 0)
+			die("could not load object id at position %"PRIu32, i);
+
+		printf("%s %"PRIu32"\n",
+		       oid_to_hex(&oid), nth_packed_mtime(p, i));
+	}
+}
+
+static const char *pack_mtimes_usage = "\n"
+"  test-tool pack-mtimes <pack-name.mtimes>";
+
+int cmd__pack_mtimes(int argc, const char **argv)
+{
+	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+	struct packed_git *p;
+
+	setup_git_directory();
+
+	if (argc != 2)
+		usage(pack_mtimes_usage);
+
+	for (p = get_all_packs(the_repository); p; p = p->next) {
+		strbuf_addstr(&buf, basename(p->pack_name));
+		strbuf_strip_suffix(&buf, ".pack");
+		strbuf_addstr(&buf, ".mtimes");
+
+		if (!strcmp(buf.buf, argv[1]))
+			break;
+
+		strbuf_reset(&buf);
+	}
+
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
+
+	if (!p)
+		die("could not find pack '%s'", argv[1]);
+
+	dump_mtimes(p);
+
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/t/helper/test-tool.c b/t/helper/test-tool.c
index 0424f7adf5..d2eacd302d 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-tool.c
+++ b/t/helper/test-tool.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ static struct test_cmd cmds[] = {
 	{ "oidmap", cmd__oidmap },
 	{ "oidtree", cmd__oidtree },
 	{ "online-cpus", cmd__online_cpus },
+	{ "pack-mtimes", cmd__pack_mtimes },
 	{ "parse-options", cmd__parse_options },
 	{ "parse-pathspec-file", cmd__parse_pathspec_file },
 	{ "partial-clone", cmd__partial_clone },
diff --git a/t/helper/test-tool.h b/t/helper/test-tool.h
index c876e8246f..960cc27ef7 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-tool.h
+++ b/t/helper/test-tool.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ int cmd__mktemp(int argc, const char **argv);
 int cmd__oidmap(int argc, const char **argv);
 int cmd__oidtree(int argc, const char **argv);
 int cmd__online_cpus(int argc, const char **argv);
+int cmd__pack_mtimes(int argc, const char **argv);
 int cmd__parse_options(int argc, const char **argv);
 int cmd__parse_pathspec_file(int argc, const char** argv);
 int cmd__partial_clone(int argc, const char **argv);
diff --git a/t/t5329-pack-objects-cruft.sh b/t/t5329-pack-objects-cruft.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..b481224b93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t5329-pack-objects-cruft.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,739 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+test_description='cruft pack related pack-objects tests'
+. ./test-lib.sh
+
+objdir=.git/objects
+packdir=$objdir/pack
+
+basic_cruft_pack_tests () {
+	expire="$1"
+
+	test_expect_success "unreachable loose objects are packed (expire $expire)" '
+		git init repo &&
+		test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+		(
+			cd repo &&
+
+			test_commit base &&
+			git repack -Ad &&
+			test_commit loose &&
+
+			test-tool chmtime +2000 "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path \
+				$(git rev-parse loose:loose.t))" &&
+			test-tool chmtime +1000 "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path \
+				$(git rev-parse loose^{tree}))" &&
+
+			(
+				git rev-list --objects --no-object-names base..loose |
+				while read oid
+				do
+					path="$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path "$oid")" &&
+					printf "%s %d\n" "$oid" "$(test-tool chmtime --get "$path")"
+				done |
+				sort -k1
+			) >expect &&
+
+			keep="$(basename "$(ls $packdir/pack-*.pack)")" &&
+			cruft="$(echo $keep | git pack-objects --cruft \
+				--cruft-expiration="$expire" $packdir/pack)" &&
+			test-tool pack-mtimes "pack-$cruft.mtimes" >actual &&
+
+			test_cmp expect actual
+		)
+	'
+
+	test_expect_success "unreachable packed objects are packed (expire $expire)" '
+		git init repo &&
+		test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+		(
+			cd repo &&
+
+			test_commit packed &&
+			git repack -Ad &&
+			test_commit other &&
+
+			git rev-list --objects --no-object-names packed.. >objects &&
+			keep="$(basename "$(ls $packdir/pack-*.pack)")" &&
+			other="$(git pack-objects --delta-base-offset \
+				$packdir/pack <objects)" &&
+			git prune-packed &&
+
+			test-tool chmtime --get -100 "$packdir/pack-$other.pack" >expect &&
+
+			cruft="$(git pack-objects --cruft --cruft-expiration="$expire" $packdir/pack <<-EOF
+			$keep
+			-pack-$other.pack
+			EOF
+			)" &&
+			test-tool pack-mtimes "pack-$cruft.mtimes" >actual.raw &&
+
+			cut -d" " -f2 <actual.raw | sort -u >actual &&
+
+			test_cmp expect actual
+		)
+	'
+
+	test_expect_success "unreachable cruft objects are repacked (expire $expire)" '
+		git init repo &&
+		test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+		(
+			cd repo &&
+
+			test_commit packed &&
+			git repack -Ad &&
+			test_commit other &&
+
+			git rev-list --objects --no-object-names packed.. >objects &&
+			keep="$(basename "$(ls $packdir/pack-*.pack)")" &&
+
+			cruft_a="$(echo $keep | git pack-objects --cruft --cruft-expiration="$expire" $packdir/pack)" &&
+			git prune-packed &&
+			cruft_b="$(git pack-objects --cruft --cruft-expiration="$expire" $packdir/pack <<-EOF
+			$keep
+			-pack-$cruft_a.pack
+			EOF
+			)" &&
+
+			test-tool pack-mtimes "pack-$cruft_a.mtimes" >expect.raw &&
+			test-tool pack-mtimes "pack-$cruft_b.mtimes" >actual.raw &&
+
+			sort <expect.raw >expect &&
+			sort <actual.raw >actual &&
+
+			test_cmp expect actual
+		)
+	'
+
+	test_expect_success "multiple cruft packs (expire $expire)" '
+		git init repo &&
+		test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+		(
+			cd repo &&
+
+			test_commit reachable &&
+			git repack -Ad &&
+			keep="$(basename "$(ls $packdir/pack-*.pack)")" &&
+
+			test_commit cruft &&
+			loose="$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $(git rev-parse cruft))" &&
+
+			# generate three copies of the cruft object in different
+			# cruft packs, each with a unique mtime:
+			#   - one expired (1000 seconds ago)
+			#   - two non-expired (one 1000 seconds in the future,
+			#     one 1500 seconds in the future)
+			test-tool chmtime =-1000 "$loose" &&
+			git pack-objects --cruft $packdir/pack-A <<-EOF &&
+			$keep
+			EOF
+			test-tool chmtime =+1000 "$loose" &&
+			git pack-objects --cruft $packdir/pack-B <<-EOF &&
+			$keep
+			-$(basename $(ls $packdir/pack-A-*.pack))
+			EOF
+			test-tool chmtime =+1500 "$loose" &&
+			git pack-objects --cruft $packdir/pack-C <<-EOF &&
+			$keep
+			-$(basename $(ls $packdir/pack-A-*.pack))
+			-$(basename $(ls $packdir/pack-B-*.pack))
+			EOF
+
+			# ensure the resulting cruft pack takes the most recent
+			# mtime among all copies
+			cruft="$(git pack-objects --cruft \
+				--cruft-expiration="$expire" \
+				$packdir/pack <<-EOF
+			$keep
+			-$(basename $(ls $packdir/pack-A-*.pack))
+			-$(basename $(ls $packdir/pack-B-*.pack))
+			-$(basename $(ls $packdir/pack-C-*.pack))
+			EOF
+			)" &&
+
+			test-tool pack-mtimes "$(basename $(ls $packdir/pack-C-*.mtimes))" >expect.raw &&
+			test-tool pack-mtimes "pack-$cruft.mtimes" >actual.raw &&
+
+			sort expect.raw >expect &&
+			sort actual.raw >actual &&
+			test_cmp expect actual
+		)
+	'
+
+	test_expect_success "cruft packs tolerate missing trees (expire $expire)" '
+		git init repo &&
+		test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+		(
+			cd repo &&
+
+			test_commit reachable &&
+			test_commit cruft &&
+
+			tree="$(git rev-parse cruft^{tree})" &&
+
+			git reset --hard reachable &&
+			git tag -d cruft &&
+			git reflog expire --all --expire=all &&
+
+			# remove the unreachable tree, but leave the commit
+			# which has it as its root tree intact
+			rm -fr "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path "$tree")" &&
+
+			git repack -Ad &&
+			basename $(ls $packdir/pack-*.pack) >in &&
+			git pack-objects --cruft --cruft-expiration="$expire" \
+				$packdir/pack <in
+		)
+	'
+
+	test_expect_success "cruft packs tolerate missing blobs (expire $expire)" '
+		git init repo &&
+		test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+		(
+			cd repo &&
+
+			test_commit reachable &&
+			test_commit cruft &&
+
+			blob="$(git rev-parse cruft:cruft.t)" &&
+
+			git reset --hard reachable &&
+			git tag -d cruft &&
+			git reflog expire --all --expire=all &&
+
+			# remove the unreachable blob, but leave the commit (and
+			# the root tree of that commit) intact
+			rm -fr "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path "$blob")" &&
+
+			git repack -Ad &&
+			basename $(ls $packdir/pack-*.pack) >in &&
+			git pack-objects --cruft --cruft-expiration="$expire" \
+				$packdir/pack <in
+		)
+	'
+}
+
+basic_cruft_pack_tests never
+basic_cruft_pack_tests 2.weeks.ago
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft tags rescue tagged objects' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit packed &&
+		git repack -Ad &&
+
+		test_commit tagged &&
+		git tag -a annotated -m tag &&
+
+		git rev-list --objects --no-object-names packed.. >objects &&
+		while read oid
+		do
+			test-tool chmtime -1000 \
+				"$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $oid)"
+		done <objects &&
+
+		test-tool chmtime -500 \
+			"$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $(git rev-parse annotated))" &&
+
+		keep="$(basename "$(ls $packdir/pack-*.pack)")" &&
+		cruft="$(echo $keep | git pack-objects --cruft \
+			--cruft-expiration=750.seconds.ago \
+			$packdir/pack)" &&
+		test-tool pack-mtimes "pack-$cruft.mtimes" >actual.raw &&
+		cut -f1 -d" " <actual.raw | sort >actual &&
+
+		(
+			cat objects &&
+			git rev-parse annotated
+		) >expect.raw &&
+		sort <expect.raw >expect &&
+
+		test_cmp expect actual &&
+		cat actual
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft commits rescue parents, trees' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit packed &&
+		git repack -Ad &&
+
+		test_commit old &&
+		test_commit new &&
+
+		git rev-list --objects --no-object-names packed..new >objects &&
+		while read object
+		do
+			test-tool chmtime -1000 \
+				"$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $object)"
+		done <objects &&
+		test-tool chmtime +500 "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path \
+			$(git rev-parse HEAD))" &&
+
+		keep="$(basename "$(ls $packdir/pack-*.pack)")" &&
+		cruft="$(echo $keep | git pack-objects --cruft \
+			--cruft-expiration=750.seconds.ago \
+			$packdir/pack)" &&
+		test-tool pack-mtimes "pack-$cruft.mtimes" >actual.raw &&
+
+		cut -d" " -f1 <actual.raw | sort >actual &&
+		sort <objects >expect &&
+
+		test_cmp expect actual
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft trees rescue sub-trees, blobs' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit packed &&
+		git repack -Ad &&
+
+		mkdir -p dir/sub &&
+		echo foo >foo &&
+		echo bar >dir/bar &&
+		echo baz >dir/sub/baz &&
+
+		test_tick &&
+		git add . &&
+		git commit -m "pruned" &&
+
+		test-tool chmtime -1000 "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $(git rev-parse HEAD))" &&
+		test-tool chmtime -1000 "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $(git rev-parse HEAD^{tree}))" &&
+		test-tool chmtime -1000 "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $(git rev-parse HEAD:foo))" &&
+		test-tool chmtime  -500 "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $(git rev-parse HEAD:dir))" &&
+		test-tool chmtime -1000 "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $(git rev-parse HEAD:dir/bar))" &&
+		test-tool chmtime -1000 "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $(git rev-parse HEAD:dir/sub))" &&
+		test-tool chmtime -1000 "$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $(git rev-parse HEAD:dir/sub/baz))" &&
+
+		keep="$(basename "$(ls $packdir/pack-*.pack)")" &&
+		cruft="$(echo $keep | git pack-objects --cruft \
+			--cruft-expiration=750.seconds.ago \
+			$packdir/pack)" &&
+		test-tool pack-mtimes "pack-$cruft.mtimes" >actual.raw &&
+		cut -f1 -d" " <actual.raw | sort >actual &&
+
+		git rev-parse HEAD:dir HEAD:dir/bar HEAD:dir/sub HEAD:dir/sub/baz >expect.raw &&
+		sort <expect.raw >expect &&
+
+		test_cmp expect actual
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'expired objects are pruned' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit packed &&
+		git repack -Ad &&
+
+		test_commit pruned &&
+
+		git rev-list --objects --no-object-names packed..pruned >objects &&
+		while read object
+		do
+			test-tool chmtime -1000 \
+				"$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $object)"
+		done <objects &&
+
+		keep="$(basename "$(ls $packdir/pack-*.pack)")" &&
+		cruft="$(echo $keep | git pack-objects --cruft \
+			--cruft-expiration=750.seconds.ago \
+			$packdir/pack)" &&
+
+		test-tool pack-mtimes "pack-$cruft.mtimes" >actual &&
+		test_must_be_empty actual
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'repack --cruft generates a cruft pack' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit reachable &&
+		git branch -M main &&
+		git checkout --orphan other &&
+		test_commit unreachable &&
+
+		git checkout main &&
+		git branch -D other &&
+		git tag -d unreachable &&
+		# objects are not cruft if they are contained in the reflogs
+		git reflog expire --all --expire=all &&
+
+		git rev-list --objects --all --no-object-names >reachable.raw &&
+		git cat-file --batch-all-objects --batch-check="%(objectname)" >objects &&
+		sort <reachable.raw >reachable &&
+		comm -13 reachable objects >unreachable &&
+
+		git repack --cruft -d &&
+
+		cruft=$(basename $(ls $packdir/pack-*.mtimes) .mtimes) &&
+		pack=$(basename $(ls $packdir/pack-*.pack | grep -v $cruft) .pack) &&
+
+		git show-index <$packdir/$pack.idx >actual.raw &&
+		cut -f2 -d" " actual.raw | sort >actual &&
+		test_cmp reachable actual &&
+
+		git show-index <$packdir/$cruft.idx >actual.raw &&
+		cut -f2 -d" " actual.raw | sort >actual &&
+		test_cmp unreachable actual
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'loose objects mtimes upsert others' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit reachable &&
+		git repack -Ad &&
+		git branch -M main &&
+
+		git checkout --orphan other &&
+		test_commit cruft &&
+		# incremental repack, leaving existing objects loose (so
+		# they can be "freshened")
+		git repack &&
+
+		tip="$(git rev-parse cruft)" &&
+		path="$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path "$tip")" &&
+		test-tool chmtime --get +1000 "$path" >expect &&
+
+		git checkout main &&
+		git branch -D other &&
+		git tag -d cruft &&
+		git reflog expire --all --expire=all &&
+
+		git repack --cruft -d &&
+
+		mtimes="$(basename $(ls $packdir/pack-*.mtimes))" &&
+		test-tool pack-mtimes "$mtimes" >actual.raw &&
+		grep "$tip" actual.raw | cut -d" " -f2 >actual &&
+		test_cmp expect actual
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'expiring cruft objects with git gc' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit reachable &&
+		git branch -M main &&
+		git checkout --orphan other &&
+		test_commit unreachable &&
+
+		git checkout main &&
+		git branch -D other &&
+		git tag -d unreachable &&
+		# objects are not cruft if they are contained in the reflogs
+		git reflog expire --all --expire=all &&
+
+		git rev-list --objects --all --no-object-names >reachable.raw &&
+		git cat-file --batch-all-objects --batch-check="%(objectname)" >objects &&
+		sort <reachable.raw >reachable &&
+		comm -13 reachable objects >unreachable &&
+
+		git repack --cruft -d &&
+
+		mtimes=$(ls .git/objects/pack/pack-*.mtimes) &&
+		test_path_is_file $mtimes &&
+
+		git gc --cruft --prune=now &&
+
+		git cat-file --batch-all-objects --batch-check="%(objectname)" >objects &&
+
+		comm -23 unreachable objects >removed &&
+		test_cmp unreachable removed &&
+		test_path_is_missing $mtimes
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft packs are not included in geometric repack' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit reachable &&
+		git repack -Ad &&
+		git branch -M main &&
+
+		git checkout --orphan other &&
+		test_commit cruft &&
+		git repack -d &&
+
+		git checkout main &&
+		git branch -D other &&
+		git tag -d cruft &&
+		git reflog expire --all --expire=all &&
+
+		git repack --cruft &&
+
+		find $packdir -type f | sort >before &&
+		git repack --geometric=2 -d &&
+		find $packdir -type f | sort >after &&
+
+		test_cmp before after
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'repack --geometric collects once-cruft objects' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit reachable &&
+		git repack -Ad &&
+		git branch -M main &&
+
+		git checkout --orphan other &&
+		git rm -rf . &&
+		test_commit --no-tag cruft &&
+		cruft="$(git rev-parse HEAD)" &&
+
+		git checkout main &&
+		git branch -D other &&
+		git reflog expire --all --expire=all &&
+
+		# Pack the objects created in the previous step into a cruft
+		# pack. Intentionally leave loose copies of those objects
+		# around so we can pick them up in a subsequent --geometric
+		# reapack.
+		git repack --cruft &&
+
+		# Now make those objects reachable, and ensure that they are
+		# packed into the new pack created via a --geometric repack.
+		git update-ref refs/heads/other $cruft &&
+
+		# Without this object, the set of unpacked objects is exactly
+		# the set of objects already in the cruft pack. Tweak that set
+		# to ensure we do not overwrite the cruft pack entirely.
+		test_commit reachable2 &&
+
+		find $packdir -name "pack-*.idx" | sort >before &&
+		git repack --geometric=2 -d &&
+		find $packdir -name "pack-*.idx" | sort >after &&
+
+		{
+			git rev-list --objects --no-object-names $cruft &&
+			git rev-list --objects --no-object-names reachable..reachable2
+		} >want.raw &&
+		sort want.raw >want &&
+
+		pack=$(comm -13 before after) &&
+		git show-index <$pack >objects.raw &&
+
+		cut -d" " -f2 objects.raw | sort >got &&
+
+		test_cmp want got
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft repack with no reachable objects' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit base &&
+		git repack -ad &&
+
+		base="$(git rev-parse base)" &&
+
+		git for-each-ref --format="delete %(refname)" >in &&
+		git update-ref --stdin <in &&
+		git reflog expire --all --expire=all &&
+		rm -fr .git/index &&
+
+		git repack --cruft -d &&
+
+		git cat-file -t $base
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft repack ignores --max-pack-size' '
+	git init max-pack-size &&
+	(
+		cd max-pack-size &&
+		test_commit base &&
+		# two cruft objects which exceed the maximum pack size
+		test-tool genrandom foo 1048576 | git hash-object --stdin -w &&
+		test-tool genrandom bar 1048576 | git hash-object --stdin -w &&
+		git repack --cruft --max-pack-size=1M &&
+		find $packdir -name "*.mtimes" >cruft &&
+		test_line_count = 1 cruft &&
+		test-tool pack-mtimes "$(basename "$(cat cruft)")" >objects &&
+		test_line_count = 2 objects
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft repack ignores pack.packSizeLimit' '
+	(
+		cd max-pack-size &&
+		# repack everything back together to remove the existing cruft
+		# pack (but to keep its objects)
+		git repack -adk &&
+		git -c pack.packSizeLimit=1M repack --cruft &&
+		# ensure the same post condition is met when --max-pack-size
+		# would otherwise be inferred from the configuration
+		find $packdir -name "*.mtimes" >cruft &&
+		test_line_count = 1 cruft &&
+		test-tool pack-mtimes "$(basename "$(cat cruft)")" >objects &&
+		test_line_count = 2 objects
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft repack respects repack.cruftWindow' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit base &&
+
+		GIT_TRACE2_EVENT=$(pwd)/event.trace \
+		git -c pack.window=1 -c repack.cruftWindow=2 repack \
+		       --cruft --window=3 &&
+
+		grep "pack-objects.*--window=2.*--cruft" event.trace
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft repack respects --window by default' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit base &&
+
+		GIT_TRACE2_EVENT=$(pwd)/event.trace \
+		git -c pack.window=2 repack --cruft --window=3 &&
+
+		grep "pack-objects.*--window=3.*--cruft" event.trace
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft repack respects --quiet' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit base &&
+		GIT_PROGRESS_DELAY=0 git repack --cruft --quiet 2>err &&
+		test_must_be_empty err
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft --local drops unreachable objects' '
+	git init alternate &&
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr alternate repo" &&
+
+	test_commit -C alternate base &&
+	# Pack all objects in alterate so that the cruft repack in "repo" sees
+	# the object it dropped due to `--local` as packed. Otherwise this
+	# object would not appear packed anywhere (since it is not packed in
+	# alternate and likewise not part of the cruft pack in the other repo
+	# because of `--local`).
+	git -C alternate repack -ad &&
+
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		object="$(git -C ../alternate rev-parse HEAD:base.t)" &&
+		git -C ../alternate cat-file -p $object >contents &&
+
+		# Write some reachable objects and two unreachable ones: one
+		# that the alternate has and another that is unique.
+		test_commit other &&
+		git hash-object -w -t blob contents &&
+		cruft="$(echo cruft | git hash-object -w -t blob --stdin)" &&
+
+		( cd ../alternate/.git/objects && pwd ) \
+		       >.git/objects/info/alternates &&
+
+		test_path_is_file $objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $cruft) &&
+		test_path_is_file $objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $object) &&
+
+		git repack -d --cruft --local &&
+
+		test-tool pack-mtimes "$(basename $(ls $packdir/pack-*.mtimes))" \
+		       >objects &&
+		! grep $object objects &&
+		grep $cruft objects
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'MIDX bitmaps tolerate reachable cruft objects' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit reachable &&
+		test_commit cruft &&
+		unreachable="$(git rev-parse cruft)" &&
+
+		git reset --hard $unreachable^ &&
+		git tag -d cruft &&
+		git reflog expire --all --expire=all &&
+
+		git repack --cruft -d &&
+
+		# resurrect the unreachable object via a new commit. the
+		# new commit will get selected for a bitmap, but be
+		# missing one of its parents from the selected packs.
+		git reset --hard $unreachable &&
+		test_commit resurrect &&
+
+		git repack --write-midx --write-bitmap-index --geometric=2 -d
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'cruft objects are freshend via loose' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		echo "cruft" >contents &&
+		blob="$(git hash-object -w -t blob contents)" &&
+		loose="$objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $blob)" &&
+
+		test_commit base &&
+
+		git repack --cruft -d &&
+
+		test_path_is_missing "$loose" &&
+		test-tool pack-mtimes "$(basename "$(ls $packdir/pack-*.mtimes)")" >cruft &&
+		grep "$blob" cruft &&
+
+		# write the same object again
+		git hash-object -w -t blob contents &&
+
+		test_path_is_file "$loose"
+	)
+'
+
+test_done