diff --git a/extensions/git/package.json b/extensions/git/package.json
index 906c7b515ad..1703e632acd 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.json
@@ -829,6 +829,11 @@
           "type": "boolean",
           "description": "%config.enableCommitSigning%",
           "default": false
+        },
+        "git.decorations.enabled": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "default": true,
+          "description": "%config.decorations.enabled%"
         }
       }
     },
diff --git a/extensions/git/package.nls.json b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
index 2711fb22009..646fed4b09a 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
 	"config.enableSmartCommit": "Commit all changes when there are no staged changes.",
 	"config.enableCommitSigning": "Enables commit signing with GPG.",
 	"config.discardAllScope": "Controls what changes are discarded by the `Discard all changes` command. `all` discards all changes. `tracked` discards only tracked files. `prompt` shows a prompt dialog every time the action is run.",
+	"config.decorations.enabled": "Controls if Git contributes colors and badges to the explorer and the open editors view.",
 	"colors.modified": "Color for modified resources.",
 	"colors.deleted": "Color for deleted resources.",
 	"colors.untracked": "Color for untracked resources.",
diff --git a/extensions/git/src/decorationProvider.ts b/extensions/git/src/decorationProvider.ts
index de16c4bb723..f822b203b03 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/decorationProvider.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/decorationProvider.ts
@@ -118,15 +118,35 @@ class GitDecorationProvider implements DecorationProvider {
 
 export class GitDecorations {
 
-	private disposables: Disposable[] = [];
+	private configListener: Disposable;
+	private modelListener: Disposable[] = [];
 	private providers = new Map<Repository, Disposable>();
 
 	constructor(private model: Model) {
-		this.disposables.push(
-			model.onDidOpenRepository(this.onDidOpenRepository, this),
-			model.onDidCloseRepository(this.onDidCloseRepository, this)
-		);
-		model.repositories.forEach(this.onDidOpenRepository, this);
+		this.configListener = workspace.onDidChangeConfiguration(e => e.affectsConfiguration('git.decorations.enabled') && this.update());
+		this.update();
+	}
+
+	private update(): void {
+		const enabled = workspace.getConfiguration('git').get('decorations.enabled');
+		if (enabled) {
+			this.enable();
+		} else {
+			this.disable();
+		}
+	}
+
+	private enable(): void {
+		this.modelListener = [];
+		this.model.onDidOpenRepository(this.onDidOpenRepository, this, this.modelListener);
+		this.model.onDidCloseRepository(this.onDidCloseRepository, this, this.modelListener);
+		this.model.repositories.forEach(this.onDidOpenRepository, this);
+	}
+
+	private disable(): void {
+		this.modelListener.forEach(d => d.dispose());
+		this.providers.forEach(value => value.dispose());
+		this.providers.clear();
 	}
 
 	private onDidOpenRepository(repository: Repository): void {
@@ -144,7 +164,8 @@ export class GitDecorations {
 	}
 
 	dispose(): void {
-		this.disposables.forEach(d => d.dispose());
+		this.configListener.dispose();
+		this.modelListener.forEach(d => d.dispose());
 		this.providers.forEach(value => value.dispose);
 		this.providers.clear();
 	}