diff --git a/extensions/git/package.json b/extensions/git/package.json
index ecb551df3e9..65d4faf08a1 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.json
@@ -828,6 +828,11 @@
           "default": null,
           "isExecutable": true
         },
+        "git.autoRepositoryDetection": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "description": "%config.autoRepositoryDetection%",
+          "default": true
+        },
         "git.autorefresh": {
           "type": "boolean",
           "description": "%config.autorefresh%",
diff --git a/extensions/git/package.nls.json b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
index c72fc11253d..990c6c8c3ab 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 	"command.stashPopLatest": "Pop Latest Stash",
 	"config.enabled": "Whether git is enabled",
 	"config.path": "Path to the git executable",
+	"config.autoRepositoryDetection": "Whether a repository should be automatically detected for a single file",
 	"config.autorefresh": "Whether auto refreshing is enabled",
 	"config.autofetch": "Whether auto fetching is enabled",
 	"config.enableLongCommitWarning": "Whether long commit messages should be warned about",
diff --git a/extensions/git/src/repository.ts b/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
index 098ee2bd954..909b6ef570b 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
@@ -904,9 +904,18 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 		const index: Resource[] = [];
 		const workingTree: Resource[] = [];
 		const merge: Resource[] = [];
+		const repoDetection = config.get<boolean>('autoRepositoryDetection') === true;
 
 		status.forEach(raw => {
-			const uri = Uri.file(path.join(this.repository.root, raw.path));
+			const fullFilePath = path.join(this.repository.root, raw.path);
+
+			if (!repoDetection && workspace.workspaceFolders === undefined) {
+				if (!this.detectActiveFile(fullFilePath)) {
+					return;
+				}
+			}
+
+			const uri = Uri.file(fullFilePath);
 			const renameUri = raw.rename ? Uri.file(path.join(this.repository.root, raw.rename)) : undefined;
 
 			switch (raw.x + raw.y) {
@@ -964,6 +973,10 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 		this._onDidChangeStatus.fire();
 	}
 
+	private detectActiveFile(fullFilePath: string): boolean | undefined {
+		return window.activeTextEditor && window.activeTextEditor.document.fileName === fullFilePath;
+	}
+
 	private onFSChange(uri: Uri): void {
 		const config = workspace.getConfiguration('git');
 		const autorefresh = config.get<boolean>('autorefresh');