diff --git a/Documentation/config/submodule.txt b/Documentation/config/submodule.txt
index ee454f8126..61d975745e 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/submodule.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config/submodule.txt
@@ -91,3 +91,15 @@ submodule.alternateErrorStrategy::
 	`ignore`, `info`, `die`. Default is `die`. Note that if set to `ignore`
 	or `info`, and if there is an error with the computed alternate, the
 	clone proceeds as if no alternate was specified.
+
+submodule.superprojectGitDir::
+	The relative path from the submodule's gitdir to its superproject's
+	gitdir. When Git is run in a repository, it usually makes no
+	difference whether this repository is standalone or a submodule, but if
+	this configuration variable is present, additional behavior may be
+	possible, such as "git status" printing additional information about
+	this submodule's status with respect to its superproject. This config
+	should only be present in projects which are submodules, but is not
+	guaranteed to be present in every submodule, so only optional
+	value-added behavior should be linked to it. It is set automatically
+	during submodule creation.
diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index e630f0c730..24f0ef2a78 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -1838,6 +1838,17 @@ static int clone_submodule(struct module_clone_data *clone_data)
 		git_config_set_in_file(p, "submodule.alternateErrorStrategy",
 				       error_strategy);
 
+	/*
+	 * Set the path from submodule's new gitdir to superproject's gitdir.
+	 * The latter may be a worktree gitdir. However, it is not possible for
+	 * the submodule to have a worktree-specific gitdir or config at clone
+	 * time, because "extensions.worktreeConfig" is only valid when set in
+	 * the local gitconfig, which the brand new submodule does not have yet.
+	 */
+	git_config_set_in_file(p, "submodule.superprojectGitDir",
+			       relative_path(absolute_path(get_git_dir()),
+					     sm_gitdir, &sb));
+
 	free(sm_alternate);
 	free(error_strategy);
 
diff --git a/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh b/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh
index d69a5c0032..3d146491df 100755
--- a/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh
+++ b/t/t7400-submodule-basic.sh
@@ -109,12 +109,24 @@ submodurl=$(pwd -P)
 
 inspect() {
 	sub_dir=$1 &&
+	super_dir=$2 &&
 
 	git -C "$sub_dir" for-each-ref --format='%(refname)' 'refs/heads/*' >heads &&
 	{ git -C "$sub_dir" symbolic-ref HEAD || :; } >head &&
 	git -C "$sub_dir" rev-parse HEAD >head-sha1 &&
 	git -C "$sub_dir" update-index --refresh &&
 	git -C "$sub_dir" diff-files --exit-code &&
+
+	# Ensure that submodule.superprojectGitDir contains the path from the
+	# submodule's gitdir to the superproject's gitdir.
+
+	super_abs_gitdir=$(git -C "$super_dir" rev-parse --absolute-git-dir) &&
+	sub_abs_gitdir=$(git -C "$sub_dir" rev-parse --absolute-git-dir) &&
+
+	[ "$(git -C "$sub_dir" config --get submodule.superprojectGitDir)" = \
+	  "$(test-tool path-utils relative_path "$super_abs_gitdir" \
+						"$sub_abs_gitdir")" ] &&
+
 	git -C "$sub_dir" clean -n -d -x >untracked
 }
 
@@ -138,7 +150,7 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule add' '
 	) &&
 
 	rm -f heads head untracked &&
-	inspect addtest/submod &&
+	inspect addtest/submod addtest &&
 	test_cmp expect heads &&
 	test_cmp expect head &&
 	test_must_be_empty untracked
@@ -240,7 +252,7 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule add --branch' '
 	) &&
 
 	rm -f heads head untracked &&
-	inspect addtest/submod-branch &&
+	inspect addtest/submod-branch addtest &&
 	test_cmp expect-heads heads &&
 	test_cmp expect-head head &&
 	test_must_be_empty untracked
@@ -256,7 +268,7 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule add with ./ in path' '
 	) &&
 
 	rm -f heads head untracked &&
-	inspect addtest/dotsubmod/frotz &&
+	inspect addtest/dotsubmod/frotz addtest &&
 	test_cmp expect heads &&
 	test_cmp expect head &&
 	test_must_be_empty untracked
@@ -272,7 +284,7 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule add with /././ in path' '
 	) &&
 
 	rm -f heads head untracked &&
-	inspect addtest/dotslashdotsubmod/frotz &&
+	inspect addtest/dotslashdotsubmod/frotz addtest &&
 	test_cmp expect heads &&
 	test_cmp expect head &&
 	test_must_be_empty untracked
@@ -288,7 +300,7 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule add with // in path' '
 	) &&
 
 	rm -f heads head untracked &&
-	inspect addtest/slashslashsubmod/frotz &&
+	inspect addtest/slashslashsubmod/frotz addtest &&
 	test_cmp expect heads &&
 	test_cmp expect head &&
 	test_must_be_empty untracked
@@ -304,7 +316,7 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule add with /.. in path' '
 	) &&
 
 	rm -f heads head untracked &&
-	inspect addtest/realsubmod &&
+	inspect addtest/realsubmod addtest &&
 	test_cmp expect heads &&
 	test_cmp expect head &&
 	test_must_be_empty untracked
@@ -320,7 +332,7 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule add with ./, /.. and // in path' '
 	) &&
 
 	rm -f heads head untracked &&
-	inspect addtest/realsubmod2 &&
+	inspect addtest/realsubmod2 addtest &&
 	test_cmp expect heads &&
 	test_cmp expect head &&
 	test_must_be_empty untracked
@@ -351,7 +363,7 @@ test_expect_success 'submodule add in subdirectory' '
 	) &&
 
 	rm -f heads head untracked &&
-	inspect addtest/realsubmod3 &&
+	inspect addtest/realsubmod3 addtest &&
 	test_cmp expect heads &&
 	test_cmp expect head &&
 	test_must_be_empty untracked
@@ -492,7 +504,7 @@ test_expect_success 'update should work when path is an empty dir' '
 	git submodule update -q >update.out &&
 	test_must_be_empty update.out &&
 
-	inspect init &&
+	inspect init . &&
 	test_cmp expect head-sha1
 '
 
@@ -551,7 +563,7 @@ test_expect_success 'update should checkout rev1' '
 	echo "$rev1" >expect &&
 
 	git submodule update init &&
-	inspect init &&
+	inspect init . &&
 
 	test_cmp expect head-sha1
 '
