diff --git a/Documentation/git-status.txt b/Documentation/git-status.txt
index b5939d6b58dab1..e9363d99782651 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-status.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-status.txt
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ OPTIONS
 --short::
 	Give the output in the short-format.
 
+--porcelain::
+	Give the output in a stable, easy-to-parse format for scripts.
+	Currently this is identical to --short output, but is guaranteed
+	not to change in the future, making it safe for scripts.
+
 -u[<mode>]::
 --untracked-files[=<mode>]::
 	Show untracked files (Default: 'all').
@@ -45,8 +50,8 @@ used to change the default for when the option is not
 specified.
 
 -z::
-	Terminate entries with NUL, instead of LF.  This implies `-s`
-	(short status) output format.
+	Terminate entries with NUL, instead of LF.  This implies
+	the `--porcelain` output format if no other format is given.
 
 
 OUTPUT
diff --git a/builtin-commit.c b/builtin-commit.c
index aa4a3587990c73..ffdee31bbfe1f1 100644
--- a/builtin-commit.c
+++ b/builtin-commit.c
@@ -995,12 +995,16 @@ int cmd_status(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	static enum {
 		STATUS_FORMAT_LONG,
 		STATUS_FORMAT_SHORT,
+		STATUS_FORMAT_PORCELAIN,
 	} status_format = STATUS_FORMAT_LONG;
 	unsigned char sha1[20];
 	static struct option builtin_status_options[] = {
 		OPT__VERBOSE(&verbose),
 		OPT_SET_INT('s', "short", &status_format,
 			    "show status concisely", STATUS_FORMAT_SHORT),
+		OPT_SET_INT(0, "porcelain", &status_format,
+			    "show porcelain output format",
+			    STATUS_FORMAT_PORCELAIN),
 		OPT_BOOLEAN('z', "null", &null_termination,
 			    "terminate entries with NUL"),
 		{ OPTION_STRING, 'u', "untracked-files", &untracked_files_arg,
@@ -1011,7 +1015,7 @@ int cmd_status(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	};
 
 	if (null_termination && status_format == STATUS_FORMAT_LONG)
-		status_format = STATUS_FORMAT_SHORT;
+		status_format = STATUS_FORMAT_PORCELAIN;
 
 	wt_status_prepare(&s);
 	git_config(git_status_config, &s);
@@ -1032,6 +1036,9 @@ int cmd_status(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	case STATUS_FORMAT_SHORT:
 		short_print(&s, null_termination);
 		break;
+	case STATUS_FORMAT_PORCELAIN:
+		short_print(&s, null_termination);
+		break;
 	case STATUS_FORMAT_LONG:
 		s.verbose = verbose;
 		if (s.relative_paths)