diff --git a/doc/geany.txt b/doc/geany.txt
index 27c67a2e28..94cd90f7a8 100644
--- a/doc/geany.txt
+++ b/doc/geany.txt
@@ -2601,6 +2601,11 @@ gio_unsafe_save_backup            Make a backup when using GIO unsafe file     f
 keep_edit_history_on_reload       Whether to maintain the edit history when    true        immediately
                                   reloading a file, and allow the operation
                                   to be reverted.
+reload_clean_doc_on_file_change   Whether to automatically reload documents    false       immediately
+                                  that have no changes but which have changed
+                                  on disk.
+                                  If unsaved changes exist then the user is
+                                  prompted to reload manually.
 **Filetype related**
 extract_filetype_regex            Regex to extract filetype name from file     See below.  immediately
                                   via capture group one.
diff --git a/src/document.c b/src/document.c
index 9fad86fca4..e231206073 100644
--- a/src/document.c
+++ b/src/document.c
@@ -3609,6 +3609,12 @@ static void enable_key_intercept(GeanyDocument *doc, GtkWidget *bar)
 
 static void monitor_reload_file(GeanyDocument *doc)
 {
+	if (! doc->changed && file_prefs.reload_clean_doc_on_file_change)
+	{
+		document_reload_force(doc, doc->encoding);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	gchar *base_name = g_path_get_basename(doc->file_name);
 
 	/* show this message only once */
diff --git a/src/document.h b/src/document.h
index ad3716b7b1..1b0972888d 100644
--- a/src/document.h
+++ b/src/document.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ typedef struct GeanyFilePrefs
 	gboolean		tab_close_switch_to_mru;
 	gboolean		keep_edit_history_on_reload; /* Keep undo stack upon, and allow undoing of, document reloading. */
 	gboolean		show_keep_edit_history_on_reload_msg; /* whether to show the message introducing the above feature */
+ 	gboolean		reload_clean_doc_on_file_change;
 }
 GeanyFilePrefs;
 
diff --git a/src/keyfile.c b/src/keyfile.c
index 0f7511b069..81f9210445 100644
--- a/src/keyfile.c
+++ b/src/keyfile.c
@@ -246,6 +246,8 @@ static void init_pref_groups(void)
 		"keep_edit_history_on_reload", TRUE);
 	stash_group_add_boolean(group, &file_prefs.show_keep_edit_history_on_reload_msg,
 		"show_keep_edit_history_on_reload_msg", TRUE);
+	stash_group_add_boolean(group, &file_prefs.reload_clean_doc_on_file_change,
+		"reload_clean_doc_on_file_change", FALSE);
 	/* for backwards-compatibility */
 	stash_group_add_integer(group, &editor_prefs.indentation->hard_tab_width,
 		"indent_hard_tab_width", 8);