diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9229e918cd..d96f4f0c50 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ git-blame
 git-branch
 git-bundle
 git-cat-file
+git-check-attr
 git-check-ref-format
 git-checkout
 git-checkout-index
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b8e6030940..ac89d1ba36 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ LIB_H = \
 	diff.h object.h pack.h pkt-line.h quote.h refs.h list-objects.h sideband.h \
 	run-command.h strbuf.h tag.h tree.h git-compat-util.h revision.h \
 	tree-walk.h log-tree.h dir.h path-list.h unpack-trees.h builtin.h \
-	utf8.h reflog-walk.h patch-ids.h
+	utf8.h reflog-walk.h attr.h
 
 DIFF_OBJS = \
 	diff.o diff-lib.o diffcore-break.o diffcore-order.o \
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ LIB_OBJS = \
 	write_or_die.o trace.o list-objects.o grep.o match-trees.o \
 	alloc.o merge-file.o path-list.o help.o unpack-trees.o $(DIFF_OBJS) \
 	color.o wt-status.o archive-zip.o archive-tar.o shallow.o utf8.o \
-	convert.o
+	convert.o attr.o
 
 BUILTIN_OBJS = \
 	builtin-add.o \
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ BUILTIN_OBJS = \
 	builtin-branch.o \
 	builtin-bundle.o \
 	builtin-cat-file.o \
+	builtin-check-attr.o \
 	builtin-checkout-index.o \
 	builtin-check-ref-format.o \
 	builtin-commit-tree.o \
diff --git a/attr.c b/attr.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7435d927a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/attr.c
@@ -0,0 +1,380 @@
+#include "cache.h"
+#include "attr.h"
+
+/*
+ * The basic design decision here is that we are not going to have
+ * insanely large number of attributes.
+ *
+ * This is a randomly chosen prime.
+ */
+#define HASHSIZE 257
+
+#ifndef DEBUG_ATTR
+#define DEBUG_ATTR 0
+#endif
+
+struct git_attr {
+	struct git_attr *next;
+	unsigned h;
+	char name[FLEX_ARRAY];
+};
+
+static struct git_attr *(git_attr_hash[HASHSIZE]);
+
+static unsigned hash_name(const char *name, int namelen)
+{
+	unsigned val = 0;
+	unsigned char c;
+
+	while (namelen--) {
+		c = *name++;
+		val = ((val << 7) | (val >> 22)) ^ c;
+	}
+	return val;
+}
+
+struct git_attr *git_attr(const char *name, int len)
+{
+	unsigned hval = hash_name(name, len);
+	unsigned pos = hval % HASHSIZE;
+	struct git_attr *a;
+
+	for (a = git_attr_hash[pos]; a; a = a->next) {
+		if (a->h == hval &&
+		    !memcmp(a->name, name, len) && !a->name[len])
+			return a;
+	}
+
+	a = xmalloc(sizeof(*a) + len + 1);
+	memcpy(a->name, name, len);
+	a->name[len] = 0;
+	a->h = hval;
+	a->next = git_attr_hash[pos];
+	git_attr_hash[pos] = a;
+	return a;
+}
+
+/*
+ * .gitattributes file is one line per record, each of which is
+ *
+ * (1) glob pattern.
+ * (2) whitespace
+ * (3) whitespace separated list of attribute names, each of which
+ *     could be prefixed with '!' to mean "not set".
+ */
+
+struct attr_state {
+	int unset;
+	struct git_attr *attr;
+};
+
+struct match_attr {
+	char *pattern;
+	unsigned num_attr;
+	struct attr_state state[FLEX_ARRAY];
+};
+
+static const char blank[] = " \t\r\n";
+
+static struct match_attr *parse_attr_line(const char *line)
+{
+	int namelen;
+	int num_attr;
+	const char *cp, *name;
+	struct match_attr *res = res;
+	int pass;
+
+	cp = line + strspn(line, blank);
+	if (!*cp || *cp == '#')
+		return NULL;
+	name = cp;
+	namelen = strcspn(name, blank);
+
+	for (pass = 0; pass < 2; pass++) {
+		/* pass 0 counts and allocates, pass 1 fills */
+		num_attr = 0;
+		cp = name + namelen;
+		cp = cp + strspn(cp, blank);
+		while (*cp) {
+			const char *ep;
+			ep = cp + strcspn(cp, blank);
+			if (pass) {
+				struct attr_state *e;
+
+				e = &(res->state[num_attr]);
+				if (*cp == '!') {
+					e->unset = 1;
+					cp++;
+				}
+				e->attr = git_attr(cp, ep - cp);
+			}
+			num_attr++;
+			cp = ep + strspn(ep, blank);
+		}
+		if (pass)
+			break;
+		res = xcalloc(1,
+			      sizeof(*res) +
+			      sizeof(struct attr_state) * num_attr +
+			      namelen + 1);
+		res->pattern = (char*)&(res->state[num_attr]);
+		memcpy(res->pattern, name, namelen);
+		res->pattern[namelen] = 0;
+		res->num_attr = num_attr;
+	}
+	return res;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Like info/exclude and .gitignore, the attribute information can
+ * come from many places.
+ *
+ * (1) .gitattribute file of the same directory;
+ * (2) .gitattribute file of the parent directory if (1) does not have any match;
+ *     this goes recursively upwards, just like .gitignore
+ * (3) perhaps $GIT_DIR/info/attributes, as the final fallback.
+ *
+ * In the same file, later entries override the earlier match, so in the
+ * global list, we would have entries from info/attributes the earliest
+ * (reading the file from top to bottom), .gitattribute of the root
+ * directory (again, reading the file from top to bottom) down to the
+ * current directory, and then scan the list backwards to find the first match.
+ * This is exactly the same as what excluded() does in dir.c to deal with
+ * .gitignore
+ */
+
+static struct attr_stack {
+	struct attr_stack *prev;
+	char *origin;
+	unsigned num_matches;
+	struct match_attr **attrs;
+} *attr_stack;
+
+static void free_attr_elem(struct attr_stack *e)
+{
+	int i;
+	free(e->origin);
+	for (i = 0; i < e->num_matches; i++)
+		free(e->attrs[i]);
+	free(e);
+}
+
+static const char *builtin_attr[] = {
+	NULL,
+};
+
+static struct attr_stack *read_attr_from_array(const char **list)
+{
+	struct attr_stack *res;
+	const char *line;
+
+	res = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*res));
+	while ((line = *(list++)) != NULL) {
+		struct match_attr *a = parse_attr_line(line);
+		if (!a)
+			continue;
+		res->attrs = xrealloc(res->attrs, res->num_matches + 1);
+		res->attrs[res->num_matches++] = a;
+	}
+	return res;
+}
+
+static struct attr_stack *read_attr_from_file(const char *path)
+{
+	FILE *fp;
+	struct attr_stack *res;
+	char buf[2048];
+
+	res = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*res));
+	fp = fopen(path, "r");
+	if (!fp)
+		return res;
+
+	while (fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), fp)) {
+		struct match_attr *a = parse_attr_line(buf);
+		if (!a)
+			continue;
+		res->attrs = xrealloc(res->attrs, res->num_matches + 1);
+		res->attrs[res->num_matches++] = a;
+	}
+	fclose(fp);
+	return res;
+}
+
+#if DEBUG_ATTR
+static void debug_info(const char *what, struct attr_stack *elem)
+{
+	fprintf(stderr, "%s: %s\n", what, elem->origin ? elem->origin : "()");
+}
+#define debug_push(a) debug_info("push", (a))
+#define debug_pop(a) debug_info("pop", (a))
+#else
+#define debug_push(a) do { ; } while (0)
+#define debug_pop(a) do { ; } while (0)
+#endif
+
+static void prepare_attr_stack(const char *path, int dirlen)
+{
+	struct attr_stack *elem, *info;
+	int len;
+	char pathbuf[PATH_MAX];
+
+	/*
+	 * At the bottom of the attribute stack is the built-in
+	 * set of attribute definitions.  Then, contents from
+	 * .gitattribute files from directories closer to the
+	 * root to the ones in deeper directories are pushed
+	 * to the stack.  Finally, at the very top of the stack
+	 * we always keep the contents of $GIT_DIR/info/attributes.
+	 *
+	 * When checking, we use entries from near the top of the
+	 * stack, preferring $GIT_DIR/info/attributes, then
+	 * .gitattributes in deeper directories to shallower ones,
+	 * and finally use the built-in set as the default.
+	 */
+	if (!attr_stack) {
+		elem = read_attr_from_array(builtin_attr);
+		elem->origin = NULL;
+		elem->prev = attr_stack;
+		attr_stack = elem;
+
+		elem = read_attr_from_file(GITATTRIBUTES_FILE);
+		elem->origin = strdup("");
+		elem->prev = attr_stack;
+		attr_stack = elem;
+		debug_push(elem);
+
+		elem = read_attr_from_file(git_path(INFOATTRIBUTES_FILE));
+		elem->origin = NULL;
+		elem->prev = attr_stack;
+		attr_stack = elem;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Pop the "info" one that is always at the top of the stack.
+	 */
+	info = attr_stack;
+	attr_stack = info->prev;
+
+	/*
+	 * Pop the ones from directories that are not the prefix of
+	 * the path we are checking.
+	 */
+	while (attr_stack && attr_stack->origin) {
+		int namelen = strlen(attr_stack->origin);
+
+		elem = attr_stack;
+		if (namelen <= dirlen &&
+		    !strncmp(elem->origin, path, namelen))
+			break;
+
+		debug_pop(elem);
+		attr_stack = elem->prev;
+		free_attr_elem(elem);
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Read from parent directories and push them down
+	 */
+	while (1) {
+		char *cp;
+
+		len = strlen(attr_stack->origin);
+		if (dirlen <= len)
+			break;
+		memcpy(pathbuf, path, dirlen);
+		memcpy(pathbuf + dirlen, "/", 2);
+		cp = strchr(pathbuf + len + 1, '/');
+		strcpy(cp + 1, GITATTRIBUTES_FILE);
+		elem = read_attr_from_file(pathbuf);
+		*cp = '\0';
+		elem->origin = strdup(pathbuf);
+		elem->prev = attr_stack;
+		attr_stack = elem;
+		debug_push(elem);
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Finally push the "info" one at the top of the stack.
+	 */
+	info->prev = attr_stack;
+	attr_stack = info;
+}
+
+static int path_matches(const char *pathname, int pathlen,
+			const char *pattern,
+			const char *base, int baselen)
+{
+	if (!strchr(pattern, '/')) {
+		/* match basename */
+		const char *basename = strrchr(pathname, '/');
+		basename = basename ? basename + 1 : pathname;
+		return (fnmatch(pattern, basename, 0) == 0);
+	}
+	/*
+	 * match with FNM_PATHNAME; the pattern has base implicitly
+	 * in front of it.
+	 */
+	if (*pattern == '/')
+		pattern++;
+	if (pathlen < baselen ||
+	    (baselen && pathname[baselen - 1] != '/') ||
+	    strncmp(pathname, base, baselen))
+		return 0;
+	return fnmatch(pattern, pathname + baselen, FNM_PATHNAME) == 0;
+}
+
+/*
+ * I do not like this at all.  Only because we allow individual
+ * attribute to be set or unset incrementally by individual
+ * lines in .gitattribute files, we need to do this triple
+ * loop which looks quite wasteful.
+ */
+static int fill(const char *path, int pathlen,
+		struct attr_stack *stk, struct git_attr_check *check,
+		int num, int rem)
+{
+	int i, j, k;
+	const char *base = stk->origin ? stk->origin : "";
+
+	for (i = stk->num_matches - 1; 0 < rem && 0 <= i; i--) {
+		struct match_attr *a = stk->attrs[i];
+		if (path_matches(path, pathlen,
+				 a->pattern, base, strlen(base))) {
+			for (j = 0; j < a->num_attr; j++) {
+				struct git_attr *attr = a->state[j].attr;
+				int set = !a->state[j].unset;
+				for (k = 0; k < num; k++) {
+					if (0 <= check[k].isset ||
+					    check[k].attr != attr)
+						continue;
+					check[k].isset = set;
+					rem--;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return rem;
+}
+
+int git_checkattr(const char *path, int num, struct git_attr_check *check)
+{
+	struct attr_stack *stk;
+	const char *cp;
+	int dirlen, pathlen, i, rem;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < num; i++)
+		check[i].isset = -1;
+
+	pathlen = strlen(path);
+	cp = strrchr(path, '/');
+	if (!cp)
+		dirlen = 0;
+	else
+		dirlen = cp - path;
+	prepare_attr_stack(path, dirlen);
+	rem = num;
+	for (stk = attr_stack; 0 < rem && stk; stk = stk->prev)
+		rem = fill(path, pathlen, stk, check, num, rem);
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/attr.h b/attr.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1e5ab40694
--- /dev/null
+++ b/attr.h
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#ifndef ATTR_H
+#define ATTR_H
+
+/* An attribute is a pointer to this opaque structure */
+struct git_attr;
+
+struct git_attr *git_attr(const char *, int);
+
+struct git_attr_check {
+	struct git_attr *attr;
+	int isset;
+};
+
+int git_checkattr(const char *path, int, struct git_attr_check *);
+
+#endif /* ATTR_H */
diff --git a/builtin-check-attr.c b/builtin-check-attr.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..47b07210d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin-check-attr.c
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#include "builtin.h"
+#include "attr.h"
+#include "quote.h"
+
+static const char check_attr_usage[] =
+"git-check-attr attr... [--] pathname...";
+
+int cmd_check_attr(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	struct git_attr_check *check;
+	int cnt, i, doubledash;
+
+	doubledash = -1;
+	for (i = 1; doubledash < 0 && i < argc; i++) {
+		if (!strcmp(argv[i], "--"))
+			doubledash = i;
+	}
+
+	/* If there is no double dash, we handle only one attribute */
+	if (doubledash < 0) {
+		cnt = 1;
+		doubledash = 1;
+	} else
+		cnt = doubledash - 1;
+	doubledash++;
+
+	if (cnt <= 0 || argc < doubledash)
+		usage(check_attr_usage);
+	check = xcalloc(cnt, sizeof(*check));
+	for (i = 0; i < cnt; i++) {
+		const char *name;
+		name = argv[i + 1];
+		check[i].attr = git_attr(name, strlen(name));
+	}
+
+	for (i = doubledash; i < argc; i++) {
+		int j;
+		if (git_checkattr(argv[i], cnt, check))
+			die("git_checkattr died");
+		for (j = 0; j < cnt; j++) {
+			write_name_quoted("", 0, argv[i], 1, stdout);
+			printf(": %s: %s\n", argv[j+1],
+			       (check[j].isset < 0) ? "unspecified" :
+			       (check[j].isset == 0) ? "unset" :
+			       "set");
+		}
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/builtin.h b/builtin.h
index af203e9e36..d3f3a7496e 100644
--- a/builtin.h
+++ b/builtin.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ extern int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
 extern int cmd_bundle(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
 extern int cmd_cat_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
 extern int cmd_checkout_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
+extern int cmd_check_attr(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
 extern int cmd_check_ref_format(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
 extern int cmd_cherry(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
 extern int cmd_cherry_pick(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index b1bd9e46c2..63af43fe5c 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ enum object_type {
 #define CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT "GIT_CONFIG"
 #define CONFIG_LOCAL_ENVIRONMENT "GIT_CONFIG_LOCAL"
 #define EXEC_PATH_ENVIRONMENT "GIT_EXEC_PATH"
+#define GITATTRIBUTES_FILE ".gitattributes"
+#define INFOATTRIBUTES_FILE "info/attributes"
 
 extern int is_bare_repository_cfg;
 extern int is_bare_repository(void);
diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 7def319e60..f20090721a 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ static void handle_internal_command(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp)
 		{ "cat-file", cmd_cat_file, RUN_SETUP },
 		{ "checkout-index", cmd_checkout_index, RUN_SETUP },
 		{ "check-ref-format", cmd_check_ref_format },
+		{ "check-attr", cmd_check_attr, RUN_SETUP | NOT_BARE },
 		{ "cherry", cmd_cherry, RUN_SETUP },
 		{ "cherry-pick", cmd_cherry_pick, RUN_SETUP | NOT_BARE },
 		{ "commit-tree", cmd_commit_tree, RUN_SETUP },