diff --git a/docs/internal-fs-layout.md b/docs/internal-fs-layout.md
index af6a4523..0e830510 100644
--- a/docs/internal-fs-layout.md
+++ b/docs/internal-fs-layout.md
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ User controlled settings are initialized when running `repo init`.
 | repo.clonefilter         | `--clone-filter`          | Filter setting when using [partial git clones] |
 | repo.depth               | `--depth`                 | Create shallow checkouts when cloning |
 | repo.dissociate          | `--dissociate`            | Dissociate from any reference/mirrors after initial clone |
+| repo.git-lfs             | `--git-lfs`               | Enable [Git LFS] support |
 | repo.mirror              | `--mirror`                | Checkout is a repo mirror |
 | repo.partialclone        | `--partial-clone`         | Create [partial git clones] |
 | repo.partialcloneexclude | `--partial-clone-exclude` | Comma-delimited list of project names (not paths) to exclude while using [partial git clones] |
@@ -254,6 +255,7 @@ Repo will create & maintain a few files in the user's home directory.
 
 
 [git-config]: https://git-scm.com/docs/git-config
+[Git LFS]: https://git-lfs.github.com/
 [git worktree]: https://git-scm.com/docs/git-worktree
 [gitsubmodules]: https://git-scm.com/docs/gitsubmodules
 [manifest-format.md]: ./manifest-format.md
diff --git a/manifest_xml.py b/manifest_xml.py
index 68ead53c..daf85d30 100644
--- a/manifest_xml.py
+++ b/manifest_xml.py
@@ -666,6 +666,10 @@ https://gerrit.googlesource.com/git-repo/+/HEAD/docs/manifest-format.md
   def HasSubmodules(self):
     return self.manifestProject.config.GetBoolean('repo.submodules')
 
+  @property
+  def EnableGitLfs(self):
+    return self.manifestProject.config.GetBoolean('repo.git-lfs')
+
   def GetDefaultGroupsStr(self):
     """Returns the default group string for the platform."""
     return 'default,platform-' + platform.system().lower()
diff --git a/project.py b/project.py
index 8490d9f9..12257857 100644
--- a/project.py
+++ b/project.py
@@ -2533,8 +2533,9 @@ class Project(object):
         for key in ['user.name', 'user.email']:
           if m.Has(key, include_defaults=False):
             self.config.SetString(key, m.GetString(key))
-        self.config.SetString('filter.lfs.smudge', 'git-lfs smudge --skip -- %f')
-        self.config.SetString('filter.lfs.process', 'git-lfs filter-process --skip')
+        if not self.manifest.EnableGitLfs:
+          self.config.SetString('filter.lfs.smudge', 'git-lfs smudge --skip -- %f')
+          self.config.SetString('filter.lfs.process', 'git-lfs filter-process --skip')
         self.config.SetBoolean('core.bare', True if self.manifest.IsMirror else None)
     except Exception:
       if init_obj_dir and os.path.exists(self.objdir):
diff --git a/repo b/repo
index 6d7ce42a..c084b654 100755
--- a/repo
+++ b/repo
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ if not REPO_REV:
 BUG_URL = 'https://bugs.chromium.org/p/gerrit/issues/entry?template=Repo+tool+issue'
 
 # increment this whenever we make important changes to this script
-VERSION = (2, 17)
+VERSION = (2, 21)
 
 # increment this if the MAINTAINER_KEYS block is modified
 KEYRING_VERSION = (2, 3)
@@ -382,6 +382,11 @@ def InitParser(parser, gitc_init=False):
   group.add_option('--no-clone-bundle',
                    dest='clone_bundle', action='store_false',
                    help='disable use of /clone.bundle on HTTP/HTTPS (default if --partial-clone)')
+  group.add_option('--git-lfs', action='store_true',
+                   help='enable Git LFS support')
+  group.add_option('--no-git-lfs',
+                   dest='git_lfs', action='store_false',
+                   help='disable Git LFS support')
 
   # Tool.
   group = parser.add_option_group('repo Version options')
diff --git a/subcmds/init.py b/subcmds/init.py
index b0db76a4..32c85f79 100644
--- a/subcmds/init.py
+++ b/subcmds/init.py
@@ -291,6 +291,15 @@ to update the working directory files.
     if opt.submodules:
       m.config.SetBoolean('repo.submodules', opt.submodules)
 
+    if opt.git_lfs is not None:
+      if opt.git_lfs:
+        git_require((2, 17, 0), fail=True, msg='Git LFS support')
+
+      m.config.SetBoolean('repo.git-lfs', opt.git_lfs)
+      if not is_new:
+        print('warning: Changing --git-lfs settings will only affect new project checkouts.\n'
+              '         Existing projects will require manual updates.\n', file=sys.stderr)
+
     if opt.use_superproject is not None:
       m.config.SetBoolean('repo.superproject', opt.use_superproject)