diff --git a/Documentation/technical/protocol-v2.txt b/Documentation/technical/protocol-v2.txt
index 136179d7d8..d7b6f38e0a 100644
--- a/Documentation/technical/protocol-v2.txt
+++ b/Documentation/technical/protocol-v2.txt
@@ -393,3 +393,13 @@ header.
 		1 - pack data
 		2 - progress messages
 		3 - fatal error message just before stream aborts
+
+ server-option
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+If advertised, indicates that any number of server specific options can be
+included in a request.  This is done by sending each option as a
+"server-option=<option>" capability line in the capability-list section of
+a request.
+
+The provided options must not contain a NUL or LF character.
diff --git a/serve.c b/serve.c
index a5a7b2f7dd..bda085f09c 100644
--- a/serve.c
+++ b/serve.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ static struct protocol_capability capabilities[] = {
 	{ "agent", agent_advertise, NULL },
 	{ "ls-refs", always_advertise, ls_refs },
 	{ "fetch", upload_pack_advertise, upload_pack_v2 },
+	{ "server-option", always_advertise, NULL },
 };
 
 static void advertise_capabilities(void)
diff --git a/t/t5701-git-serve.sh b/t/t5701-git-serve.sh
index 72d7bc5628..011a5796db 100755
--- a/t/t5701-git-serve.sh
+++ b/t/t5701-git-serve.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ test_expect_success 'test capability advertisement' '
 	agent=git/$(git version | cut -d" " -f3)
 	ls-refs
 	fetch=shallow
+	server-option
 	0000
 	EOF
 
@@ -173,4 +174,24 @@ test_expect_success 'symrefs parameter' '
 	test_cmp actual expect
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'sending server-options' '
+	test-pkt-line pack >in <<-EOF &&
+	command=ls-refs
+	server-option=hello
+	server-option=world
+	0001
+	ref-prefix HEAD
+	0000
+	EOF
+
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	$(git rev-parse HEAD) HEAD
+	0000
+	EOF
+
+	git serve --stateless-rpc <in >out &&
+	test-pkt-line unpack <out >actual &&
+	test_cmp actual expect
+'
+
 test_done