diff --git a/docs/deployment/methods/git.md b/docs/deployment/methods/git.md
index dd5e4d4bb..a13af5c15 100644
--- a/docs/deployment/methods/git.md
+++ b/docs/deployment/methods/git.md
@@ -76,3 +76,28 @@ This behavior can be disabled entirely on a per-app basis by setting the `rev-en
 # override for a specific app
 dokku git:set node-js-app rev-env-var ""
 ```
+
+### Keeping the `.git` directory
+
+By default, Dokku will remove the contents of the `.git` before triggering a build for a given app. This is generally a safe default as shipping the entire source code history of your app in the deployed image artifact is unnecessary as it increases bloat and potentially can leak information if there are any security issues with your app code.
+
+To enable the `.git` directory, run the `git:set` command as follows:
+
+```shell
+# on the Dokku host
+
+# keep the .git directory during builds
+dokku git:set node-js-app keep-git-dir true
+```
+
+The default behavior is to delete this directory and it's contents. To revert to the default behavior, the `keep-git-dir` value can be set to either an empty string or `false`.
+
+```shell
+# on the Dokku host
+
+# delete the .git directory during builds (default)
+dokku git:set node-js-app keep-git-dir false
+
+# delete the .git directory during builds (default)
+dokku git:set node-js-app keep-git-dir ""
+```
diff --git a/plugins/git/functions b/plugins/git/functions
index c980841aa..d1cf3ef62 100755
--- a/plugins/git/functions
+++ b/plugins/git/functions
@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@ git_build_app_repo() {
   fi
 
   suppress_output env -u GIT_QUARANTINE_PATH git submodule update --init --recursive
-  find . -name .git -prune -exec rm -rf {} \; >/dev/null
+  local DOKKU_KEEP_GIT_DIR="$(fn-plugin-property-get "git" "$APP" "keep-git-dir" "")"
+  if [[ "$DOKKU_KEEP_GIT_DIR" != "true" ]]; then
+    find . -name .git -prune -exec rm -rf {} \; >/dev/null
+  fi
 
   if use_git_worktree; then
     pushd "$DOKKU_ROOT/$APP" >/dev/null
diff --git a/plugins/git/internal-functions b/plugins/git/internal-functions
index 09e8d76d6..5f87ab0fd 100755
--- a/plugins/git/internal-functions
+++ b/plugins/git/internal-functions
@@ -35,9 +35,10 @@ cmd-git-report-single() {
   fi
   verify_app_name "$APP"
   local flag_map=(
-    "--git-rev-env-var: $(fn-plugin-property-get "git" "$APP" "rev-env-var" "GIT_REV")"
     "--git-deploy-branch: $(fn-plugin-property-get "git" "$APP" "deploy-branch" "master")"
     "--git-global-deploy-branch: $(fn-plugin-property-get "git" "--global" "deploy-branch" "master")"
+    "--git-keep-git-dir: $(fn-plugin-property-get "git" "$APP" "keep-git-dir" "false")"
+    "--git-rev-env-var: $(fn-plugin-property-get "git" "$APP" "rev-env-var" "GIT_REV")"
   )
 
   if [[ -z "$INFO_FLAG" ]]; then
diff --git a/plugins/git/subcommands/set b/plugins/git/subcommands/set
index 127ff03ca..aa01be113 100755
--- a/plugins/git/subcommands/set
+++ b/plugins/git/subcommands/set
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ git-set-cmd() {
   local cmd="git:set" argv=("$@")
   [[ ${argv[0]} == "$cmd" ]] && shift 1
   declare APP="$1" KEY="$2" VALUE="$3"
-  local VALID_KEYS=("deploy-branch" "rev-env-var")
+  local VALID_KEYS=("deploy-branch" "keep-git-dir" "rev-env-var")
   [[ -z "$APP" ]] && dokku_log_fail "Please specify an app to run the command on"
   [[ -z "$KEY" ]] && dokku_log_fail "No key specified"
 
   if ! fn-in-array "$KEY" "${VALID_KEYS[@]}"; then
-    dokku_log_fail "Invalid key specified, valid keys include: deploy-branch, rev-env-var"
+    dokku_log_fail "Invalid key specified, valid keys include: deploy-branch, keep-git-dir, rev-env-var"
   fi
 
   if [[ -n "$VALUE" ]]; then