diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e82aa19df03..95cd94c5044 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 /git-apply
 /git-archimport
 /git-archive
+/git-backfill
 /git-bisect
 /git-blame
 /git-branch
diff --git a/Documentation/git-backfill.txt b/Documentation/git-backfill.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ab384dad6e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/git-backfill.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+git-backfill(1)
+===============
+
+NAME
+----
+git-backfill - Download missing objects in a partial clone
+
+
+SYNOPSIS
+--------
+[synopsis]
+git backfill [<options>]
+
+DESCRIPTION
+-----------
+
+THIS COMMAND IS EXPERIMENTAL. ITS BEHAVIOR MAY CHANGE IN THE FUTURE.
+
+SEE ALSO
+--------
+linkgit:git-clone[1].
+
+GIT
+---
+Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite
diff --git a/Documentation/meson.build b/Documentation/meson.build
index 2a26fa8a5fe..5e9e3e19c5c 100644
--- a/Documentation/meson.build
+++ b/Documentation/meson.build
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ manpages = {
   'git-apply.txt' : 1,
   'git-archimport.txt' : 1,
   'git-archive.txt' : 1,
+  'git-backfill.txt' : 1,
   'git-bisect.txt' : 1,
   'git-blame.txt' : 1,
   'git-branch.txt' : 1,
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2f6e2d52955..efa199d390c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1203,6 +1203,7 @@ BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin/am.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin/annotate.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin/apply.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin/archive.o
+BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin/backfill.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin/bisect.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin/blame.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin/branch.o
diff --git a/builtin.h b/builtin.h
index f7b166b3348..89928ccf92f 100644
--- a/builtin.h
+++ b/builtin.h
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ int cmd_am(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *r
 int cmd_annotate(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
 int cmd_apply(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
 int cmd_archive(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
+int cmd_backfill(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
 int cmd_bisect(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
 int cmd_blame(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
 int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo);
diff --git a/builtin/backfill.c b/builtin/backfill.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..58d0866c0fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin/backfill.c
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#include "builtin.h"
+#include "config.h"
+#include "parse-options.h"
+#include "repository.h"
+#include "object.h"
+
+static const char * const builtin_backfill_usage[] = {
+	N_("git backfill [<options>]"),
+	NULL
+};
+
+int cmd_backfill(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix, struct repository *repo)
+{
+	struct option options[] = {
+		OPT_END(),
+	};
+
+	show_usage_if_asked(argc, argv, builtin_backfill_usage[0]);
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, builtin_backfill_usage,
+			     0);
+
+	repo_config(repo, git_default_config, NULL);
+
+	die(_("not implemented"));
+
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/command-list.txt b/command-list.txt
index e0bb87b3b5c..c537114b468 100644
--- a/command-list.txt
+++ b/command-list.txt
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ git-annotate                            ancillaryinterrogators
 git-apply                               plumbingmanipulators            complete
 git-archimport                          foreignscminterface
 git-archive                             mainporcelain
+git-backfill                            mainporcelain           history
 git-bisect                              mainporcelain           info
 git-blame                               ancillaryinterrogators          complete
 git-branch                              mainporcelain           history
diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index a94dab37702..a9b45fcef79 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -506,6 +506,7 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{ "annotate", cmd_annotate, RUN_SETUP },
 	{ "apply", cmd_apply, RUN_SETUP_GENTLY },
 	{ "archive", cmd_archive, RUN_SETUP_GENTLY },
+	{ "backfill", cmd_backfill, RUN_SETUP },
 	{ "bisect", cmd_bisect, RUN_SETUP },
 	{ "blame", cmd_blame, RUN_SETUP },
 	{ "branch", cmd_branch, RUN_SETUP | DELAY_PAGER_CONFIG },
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 548eac62b28..527c015acfa 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -487,6 +487,7 @@ builtin_sources = [
   'builtin/annotate.c',
   'builtin/apply.c',
   'builtin/archive.c',
+  'builtin/backfill.c',
   'builtin/bisect.c',
   'builtin/blame.c',
   'builtin/branch.c',
