diff --git a/extensions/git/package.json b/extensions/git/package.json
index fb0dcce72d2..befecc5ab71 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.json
@@ -1034,6 +1034,12 @@
           "default": 10,
           "description": "%config.detectSubmodulesLimit%"
         },
+        "git.showStagedChangesResourceGroup": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "scope": "resource",
+          "default": false,
+          "description": "%config.showStagedChangesResourceGroup%"
+        },
         "git.alwaysSignOff": {
           "type": "boolean",
           "scope": "resource",
diff --git a/extensions/git/package.nls.json b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
index 21ca066b1fb..7ee94d8c0d8 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@
 	"config.detectSubmodules": "Controls whether to automatically detect git submodules.",
 	"colors.added": "Color for added resources.",
 	"config.detectSubmodulesLimit": "Controls the limit of git submodules detected.",
+	"config.showStagedChangesResourceGroup": "Always show the Staged Changes resource group.",
 	"config.alwaysSignOff": "Controls the signoff flag for all commits.",
 	"config.ignoredRepositories": "List of git repositories to ignore.",
 	"config.showProgress": "Controls whether git actions should show progress.",
diff --git a/extensions/git/src/repository.ts b/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
index 1950e7c7935..c2a5349ff2a 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/repository.ts
@@ -600,8 +600,11 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 		this._indexGroup = this._sourceControl.createResourceGroup('index', localize('staged changes', "Staged Changes"));
 		this._workingTreeGroup = this._sourceControl.createResourceGroup('workingTree', localize('changes', "Changes"));
 
+		const onConfigListener = filterEvent(workspace.onDidChangeConfiguration, e => e.affectsConfiguration('git.showStagedChangesResourceGroup'));
+		onConfigListener(this.showStagedChangesResourceGroup, this, this.disposables);
+		this.showStagedChangesResourceGroup();
+
 		this.mergeGroup.hideWhenEmpty = true;
-		this.indexGroup.hideWhenEmpty = true;
 
 		this.disposables.push(this.mergeGroup);
 		this.disposables.push(this.indexGroup);
@@ -712,6 +715,12 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 		return this.run(Operation.Config, () => this.repository.config('local', key, value));
 	}
 
+	private showStagedChangesResourceGroup(): void {
+		const config = workspace.getConfiguration('git');
+		const gitShowStagedChangesResourceGroup = config.get<string>('showStagedChangesResourceGroup');
+		this.indexGroup.hideWhenEmpty = !gitShowStagedChangesResourceGroup;
+	}
+
 	@throttle
 	async status(): Promise<void> {
 		await this.run(Operation.Status);