diff --git a/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt b/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt
index db02d6d79a..db29a9efb5 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
 --------
 [verse]
 'git ls-tree' [-d] [-r] [-t] [-l] [-z]
-	    [--name-only] [--name-status] [--full-name] [--full-tree] [--abbrev[=<n>]]
+	    [--name-only] [--name-status] [--full-name] [--full-tree] [--abbrev[=<n>]] [--format=<format>]
 	    <tree-ish> [<path>...]
 
 DESCRIPTION
@@ -74,6 +74,16 @@ OPTIONS
 	Do not limit the listing to the current working directory.
 	Implies --full-name.
 
+--format=<format>::
+	A string that interpolates `%(fieldname)` from the result
+	being shown. It also interpolates `%%` to `%`, and
+	`%xx` where `xx` are hex digits interpolates to character
+	with hex code `xx`; for example `%00` interpolates to
+	`\0` (NUL), `%09` to `\t` (TAB) and `%0a` to `\n` (LF).
+	When specified, `--format` cannot be combined with other
+	format-altering options, including `--long`, `--name-only`
+	and `--object-only`.
+
 [<path>...]::
 	When paths are given, show them (note that this isn't really raw
 	pathnames, but rather a list of patterns to match).  Otherwise
@@ -82,16 +92,29 @@ OPTIONS
 
 Output Format
 -------------
-        <mode> SP <type> SP <object> TAB <file>
+
+The output format of `ls-tree` is determined by either the `--format`
+option, or other format-altering options such as `--name-only` etc.
+(see `--format` above).
+
+The use of certain `--format` directives is equivalent to using those
+options, but invoking the full formatting machinery can be slower than
+using an appropriate formatting option.
+
+In cases where the `--format` would exactly map to an existing option
+`ls-tree` will use the appropriate faster path. Thus the default format
+is equivalent to:
+
+        %(objectmode) %(objecttype) %(objectname)%x09%(path)
 
 This output format is compatible with what `--index-info --stdin` of
 'git update-index' expects.
 
 When the `-l` option is used, format changes to
 
-        <mode> SP <type> SP <object> SP <object size> TAB <file>
+        %(objectmode) %(objecttype) %(objectname) %(objectsize:padded)%x09%(path)
 
-Object size identified by <object> is given in bytes, and right-justified
+Object size identified by <objectname> is given in bytes, and right-justified
 with minimum width of 7 characters.  Object size is given only for blobs
 (file) entries; for other entries `-` character is used in place of size.
 
@@ -100,6 +123,34 @@ quoted as explained for the configuration variable `core.quotePath`
 (see linkgit:git-config[1]).  Using `-z` the filename is output
 verbatim and the line is terminated by a NUL byte.
 
+Customized format:
+
+It is possible to print in a custom format by using the `--format` option,
+which is able to interpolate different fields using a `%(fieldname)` notation.
+For example, if you only care about the "objectname" and "path" fields, you
+can execute with a specific "--format" like
+
+        git ls-tree --format='%(objectname) %(path)' <tree-ish>
+
+FIELD NAMES
+-----------
+
+Various values from structured fields can be used to interpolate
+into the resulting output. For each outputing line, the following
+names can be used:
+
+objectmode::
+	The mode of the object.
+objecttype::
+	The type of the object (`blob` or `tree`).
+objectname::
+	The name of the object.
+objectsize[:padded]::
+	The size of the object ("-" if it's a tree).
+	It also supports a padded format of size with "%(size:padded)".
+path::
+	The pathname of the object.
+
 GIT
 ---
 Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite
diff --git a/builtin/ls-tree.c b/builtin/ls-tree.c
index 293b8f9dfb..1c71e5d543 100644
--- a/builtin/ls-tree.c
+++ b/builtin/ls-tree.c
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@ static unsigned int shown_fields;
 #define FIELD_MODE (1 << 4)
 #define FIELD_DEFAULT 29 /* 11101 size is not shown to output by default */
 #define FIELD_LONG_DEFAULT  (FIELD_DEFAULT | FIELD_SIZE)
-
+static const char *format;
+static const char *default_format = "%(objectmode) %(objecttype) %(objectname)%x09%(path)";
+static const char *long_format = "%(objectmode) %(objecttype) %(objectname) %(objectsize:padded)%x09%(path)";
+static const char *name_only_format = "%(path)";
 struct show_tree_data {
 	unsigned mode;
 	enum object_type type;
@@ -55,6 +58,72 @@ enum {
 
 static int cmdmode = MODE_UNSPECIFIED;
 
+static void expand_objectsize(struct strbuf *line, const struct object_id *oid,
+			      const enum object_type type, unsigned int padded)
+{
+	if (type == OBJ_BLOB) {
+		unsigned long size;
+		if (oid_object_info(the_repository, oid, &size) < 0)
+			die(_("could not get object info about '%s'"),
+			    oid_to_hex(oid));
+		if (padded)
+			strbuf_addf(line, "%7"PRIuMAX, (uintmax_t)size);
+		else
+			strbuf_addf(line, "%"PRIuMAX, (uintmax_t)size);
+	} else if (padded) {
+		strbuf_addf(line, "%7s", "-");
+	} else {
+		strbuf_addstr(line, "-");
+	}
+}
+
+static size_t expand_show_tree(struct strbuf *sb, const char *start,
+			       void *context)
+{
+	struct show_tree_data *data = context;
+	const char *end;
+	const char *p;
+	unsigned int errlen;
+	size_t len = strbuf_expand_literal_cb(sb, start, NULL);
+
+	if (len)
+		return len;
+	if (*start != '(')
+		die(_("bad ls-tree format: as '%s'"), start);
+
+	end = strchr(start + 1, ')');
+	if (!end)
+		die(_("bad ls-tree format: element '%s' does not end in ')'"), start);
+
+	len = end - start + 1;
+	if (skip_prefix(start, "(objectmode)", &p)) {
+		strbuf_addf(sb, "%06o", data->mode);
+	} else if (skip_prefix(start, "(objecttype)", &p)) {
+		strbuf_addstr(sb, type_name(data->type));
+	} else if (skip_prefix(start, "(objectsize:padded)", &p)) {
+		expand_objectsize(sb, data->oid, data->type, 1);
+	} else if (skip_prefix(start, "(objectsize)", &p)) {
+		expand_objectsize(sb, data->oid, data->type, 0);
+	} else if (skip_prefix(start, "(objectname)", &p)) {
+		strbuf_add_unique_abbrev(sb, data->oid, abbrev);
+	} else if (skip_prefix(start, "(path)", &p)) {
+		const char *name = data->base->buf;
+		const char *prefix = chomp_prefix ? ls_tree_prefix : NULL;
+		struct strbuf quoted = STRBUF_INIT;
+		struct strbuf sbuf = STRBUF_INIT;
+		strbuf_addstr(data->base, data->pathname);
+		name = relative_path(data->base->buf, prefix, &sbuf);
+		quote_c_style(name, &quoted, NULL, 0);
+		strbuf_addbuf(sb, &quoted);
+		strbuf_release(&sbuf);
+		strbuf_release(&quoted);
+	} else {
+		errlen = (unsigned long)len;
+		die(_("bad ls-tree format: %%%.*s"), errlen, start);
+	}
+	return len;
+}
+
 static int parse_shown_fields(void)
 {
 	if (cmdmode == MODE_NAME_ONLY) {
@@ -101,6 +170,38 @@ static int show_recursive(const char *base, size_t baselen, const char *pathname
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int show_tree_fmt(const struct object_id *oid, struct strbuf *base,
+			 const char *pathname, unsigned mode, void *context)
+{
+	size_t baselen;
+	int recurse = 0;
+	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
+	enum object_type type = object_type(mode);
+
+	struct show_tree_data data = {
+		.mode = mode,
+		.type = type,
+		.oid = oid,
+		.pathname = pathname,
+		.base = base,
+	};
+
+	if (type == OBJ_TREE && show_recursive(base->buf, base->len, pathname))
+		recurse = READ_TREE_RECURSIVE;
+	if (type == OBJ_TREE && recurse && !(ls_options & LS_SHOW_TREES))
+		return recurse;
+	if (type == OBJ_BLOB && (ls_options & LS_TREE_ONLY))
+		return 0;
+
+	baselen = base->len;
+	strbuf_expand(&sb, format, expand_show_tree, &data);
+	strbuf_addch(&sb, line_termination);
+	fwrite(sb.buf, sb.len, 1, stdout);
+	strbuf_release(&sb);
+	strbuf_setlen(base, baselen);
+	return recurse;
+}
+
 static int show_default(struct show_tree_data *data)
 {
 	size_t baselen = data->base->len;
@@ -174,6 +275,7 @@ int cmd_ls_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	struct object_id oid;
 	struct tree *tree;
 	int i, full_tree = 0;
+	read_tree_fn_t fn = show_tree;
 	const struct option ls_tree_options[] = {
 		OPT_BIT('d', NULL, &ls_options, N_("only show trees"),
 			LS_TREE_ONLY),
@@ -194,6 +296,9 @@ int cmd_ls_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "full-tree", &full_tree,
 			 N_("list entire tree; not just current directory "
 			    "(implies --full-name)")),
+		OPT_STRING_F(0, "format", &format, N_("format"),
+					 N_("format to use for the output"),
+					 PARSE_OPT_NONEG),
 		OPT__ABBREV(&abbrev),
 		OPT_END()
 	};
@@ -214,6 +319,10 @@ int cmd_ls_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	    ((LS_TREE_ONLY|LS_RECURSIVE) & ls_options))
 		ls_options |= LS_SHOW_TREES;
 
+	if (format && cmdmode)
+		usage_msg_opt(
+			_("--format can't be combined with other format-altering options"),
+			ls_tree_usage, ls_tree_options);
 	if (argc < 1)
 		usage_with_options(ls_tree_usage, ls_tree_options);
 	if (get_oid(argv[0], &oid))
@@ -237,6 +346,20 @@ int cmd_ls_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	tree = parse_tree_indirect(&oid);
 	if (!tree)
 		die("not a tree object");
-	return !!read_tree(the_repository, tree,
-			   &pathspec, show_tree, NULL);
+	/*
+	 * The generic show_tree_fmt() is slower than show_tree(), so
+	 * take the fast path if possible.
+	 */
+	if (format && (!strcmp(format, default_format))) {
+		fn = show_tree;
+	} else if (format && (!strcmp(format, long_format))) {
+		shown_fields = shown_fields | FIELD_SIZE;
+		fn = show_tree;
+	} else if (format && (!strcmp(format, name_only_format))) {
+		shown_fields = FIELD_PATH_NAME;
+		fn = show_tree;
+	} else if (format)
+		fn = show_tree_fmt;
+
+	return !!read_tree(the_repository, tree, &pathspec, fn, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/t/t3104-ls-tree-format.sh b/t/t3104-ls-tree-format.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..e08c83dc47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t3104-ls-tree-format.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+test_description='ls-tree --format'
+
+TEST_PASSES_SANITIZE_LEAK=true
+. ./test-lib.sh
+
+test_expect_success 'ls-tree --format usage' '
+	test_expect_code 129 git ls-tree --format=fmt -l HEAD &&
+	test_expect_code 129 git ls-tree --format=fmt --name-only HEAD &&
+	test_expect_code 129 git ls-tree --format=fmt --name-status HEAD
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'setup' '
+	mkdir dir &&
+	test_commit dir/sub-file &&
+	test_commit top-file
+'
+
+test_ls_tree_format () {
+	format=$1 &&
+	opts=$2 &&
+	fmtopts=$3 &&
+	shift 2 &&
+	git ls-tree $opts -r HEAD >expect.raw &&
+	sed "s/^/> /" >expect <expect.raw &&
+	git ls-tree --format="> $format" -r $fmtopts HEAD >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+}
+
+test_expect_success 'ls-tree --format=<default-like>' '
+	test_ls_tree_format \
+		"%(objectmode) %(objecttype) %(objectname)%x09%(path)" \
+		""
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'ls-tree --format=<long-like>' '
+	test_ls_tree_format \
+		"%(objectmode) %(objecttype) %(objectname) %(objectsize:padded)%x09%(path)" \
+		"--long"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'ls-tree --format=<name-only-like>' '
+	test_ls_tree_format \
+		"%(path)" \
+		"--name-only"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'ls-tree combine --format=<default-like> and -t' '
+	test_ls_tree_format \
+	"%(objectmode) %(objecttype) %(objectname)%x09%(path)" \
+	"-t" \
+	"-t"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'ls-tree combine --format=<default-like> and --full-name' '
+	test_ls_tree_format \
+	"%(objectmode) %(objecttype) %(objectname)%x09%(path)" \
+	"--full-name" \
+	"--full-name"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'ls-tree combine --format=<default-like> and --full-tree' '
+	test_ls_tree_format \
+	"%(objectmode) %(objecttype) %(objectname)%x09%(path)" \
+	"--full-tree" \
+	"--full-tree"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'ls-tree hit fast-path with --format=<default-like>' '
+	git ls-tree -r HEAD >expect &&
+	git ls-tree --format="%(objectmode) %(objecttype) %(objectname)%x09%(path)" -r HEAD >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'ls-tree hit fast-path with --format=<name-only-like>' '
+	git ls-tree -r --name-only HEAD >expect &&
+	git ls-tree --format="%(path)" -r HEAD >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+test_done
