diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0aeb94c55d..2c87886c44 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ LIB_H = \
 	blob.h cache.h commit.h csum-file.h delta.h \
 	diff.h object.h pack.h pkt-line.h quote.h refs.h \
 	run-command.h strbuf.h tag.h tree.h git-compat-util.h revision.h \
-	tree-walk.h log-tree.h
+	tree-walk.h log-tree.h dir.h
 
 DIFF_OBJS = \
 	diff.o diff-lib.o diffcore-break.o diffcore-order.o \
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ LIB_OBJS = \
 	blob.o commit.o connect.o csum-file.o cache-tree.o base85.o \
 	date.o diff-delta.o entry.o exec_cmd.o ident.o index.o \
 	object.o pack-check.o patch-delta.o path.o pkt-line.o \
-	quote.o read-cache.o refs.o run-command.o \
+	quote.o read-cache.o refs.o run-command.o dir.o \
 	server-info.o setup.o sha1_file.o sha1_name.o strbuf.o \
 	tag.o tree.o usage.o config.o environment.o ctype.o copy.o \
 	fetch-clone.o revision.o pager.o tree-walk.o xdiff-interface.o \
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ LIB_OBJS = \
 
 BUILTIN_OBJS = \
 	builtin-log.o builtin-help.o builtin-count.o builtin-diff.o builtin-push.o \
-	builtin-grep.o
+	builtin-grep.o builtin-add.o
 
 GITLIBS = $(LIB_FILE) $(XDIFF_LIB)
 LIBS = $(GITLIBS) -lz
diff --git a/builtin-add.c b/builtin-add.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7083820f7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin-add.c
@@ -0,0 +1,269 @@
+/*
+ * "git add" builtin command
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2006 Linus Torvalds
+ */
+#include <fnmatch.h>
+
+#include "cache.h"
+#include "builtin.h"
+#include "dir.h"
+#include "cache-tree.h"
+
+static const char builtin_add_usage[] =
+"git-add [-n] [-v] <filepattern>...";
+
+static int common_prefix(const char **pathspec)
+{
+	const char *path, *slash, *next;
+	int prefix;
+
+	if (!pathspec)
+		return 0;
+
+	path = *pathspec;
+	slash = strrchr(path, '/');
+	if (!slash)
+		return 0;
+
+	prefix = slash - path + 1;
+	while ((next = *++pathspec) != NULL) {
+		int len = strlen(next);
+		if (len >= prefix && !memcmp(path, next, len))
+			continue;
+		for (;;) {
+			if (!len)
+				return 0;
+			if (next[--len] != '/')
+				continue;
+			if (memcmp(path, next, len+1))
+				continue;
+			prefix = len + 1;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	return prefix;
+}
+
+static int match_one(const char *match, const char *name, int namelen)
+{
+	int matchlen;
+
+	/* If the match was just the prefix, we matched */
+	matchlen = strlen(match);
+	if (!matchlen)
+		return 1;
+
+	/*
+	 * If we don't match the matchstring exactly,
+	 * we need to match by fnmatch
+	 */
+	if (strncmp(match, name, matchlen))
+		return !fnmatch(match, name, 0);
+
+	/*
+	 * If we did match the string exactly, we still
+	 * need to make sure that it happened on a path
+	 * component boundary (ie either the last character
+	 * of the match was '/', or the next character of
+	 * the name was '/' or the terminating NUL.
+	 */
+	return	match[matchlen-1] == '/' ||
+		name[matchlen] == '/' ||
+		!name[matchlen];
+}
+
+static int match(const char **pathspec, const char *name, int namelen, int prefix, char *seen)
+{
+	int retval;
+	const char *match;
+
+	name += prefix;
+	namelen -= prefix;
+
+	for (retval = 0; (match = *pathspec++) != NULL; seen++) {
+		if (retval & *seen)
+			continue;
+		match += prefix;
+		if (match_one(match, name, namelen)) {
+			retval = 1;
+			*seen = 1;
+		}
+	}
+	return retval;
+}
+
+static void prune_directory(struct dir_struct *dir, const char **pathspec, int prefix)
+{
+	char *seen;
+	int i, specs;
+	struct dir_entry **src, **dst;
+
+	for (specs = 0; pathspec[specs];  specs++)
+		/* nothing */;
+	seen = xmalloc(specs);
+	memset(seen, 0, specs);
+
+	src = dst = dir->entries;
+	i = dir->nr;
+	while (--i >= 0) {
+		struct dir_entry *entry = *src++;
+		if (!match(pathspec, entry->name, entry->len, prefix, seen)) {
+			free(entry);
+			continue;
+		}
+		*dst++ = entry;
+	}
+	dir->nr = dst - dir->entries;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < specs; i++) {
+		struct stat st;
+		const char *match;
+		if (seen[i])
+			continue;
+
+		/* Existing file? We must have ignored it */
+		match = pathspec[i];
+		if (!lstat(match, &st))
+			continue;
+		die("pathspec '%s' did not match any files", match);
+	}
+}
+
+static void fill_directory(struct dir_struct *dir, const char **pathspec)
+{
+	const char *path, *base;
+	int baselen;
+
+	/* Set up the default git porcelain excludes */
+	memset(dir, 0, sizeof(*dir));
+	dir->exclude_per_dir = ".gitignore";
+	path = git_path("info/exclude");
+	if (!access(path, R_OK))
+		add_excludes_from_file(dir, path);
+
+	/*
+	 * Calculate common prefix for the pathspec, and
+	 * use that to optimize the directory walk
+	 */
+	baselen = common_prefix(pathspec);
+	path = ".";
+	base = "";
+	if (baselen) {
+		char *common = xmalloc(baselen + 1);
+		common = xmalloc(baselen + 1);
+		memcpy(common, *pathspec, baselen);
+		common[baselen] = 0;
+		path = base = common;
+	}
+
+	/* Read the directory and prune it */
+	read_directory(dir, path, base, baselen);
+	if (pathspec)
+		prune_directory(dir, pathspec, baselen);
+}
+
+static int add_file_to_index(const char *path, int verbose)
+{
+	int size, namelen;
+	struct stat st;
+	struct cache_entry *ce;
+
+	if (lstat(path, &st))
+		die("%s: unable to stat (%s)", path, strerror(errno));
+
+	if (!S_ISREG(st.st_mode) && !S_ISLNK(st.st_mode))
+		die("%s: can only add regular files or symbolic links", path);
+
+	namelen = strlen(path);
+	size = cache_entry_size(namelen);
+	ce = xcalloc(1, size);
+	memcpy(ce->name, path, namelen);
+	ce->ce_flags = htons(namelen);
+	fill_stat_cache_info(ce, &st);
+
+	ce->ce_mode = create_ce_mode(st.st_mode);
+	if (!trust_executable_bit) {
+		/* If there is an existing entry, pick the mode bits
+		 * from it.
+		 */
+		int pos = cache_name_pos(path, namelen);
+		if (pos >= 0)
+			ce->ce_mode = active_cache[pos]->ce_mode;
+	}
+
+	if (index_path(ce->sha1, path, &st, 1))
+		die("unable to index file %s", path);
+	if (add_cache_entry(ce, ADD_CACHE_OK_TO_ADD))
+		die("unable to add %s to index",path);
+	if (verbose)
+		printf("add '%s'\n", path);
+	cache_tree_invalidate_path(active_cache_tree, path);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static struct cache_file cache_file;
+
+int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp)
+{
+	int i, newfd;
+	int verbose = 0, show_only = 0;
+	const char *prefix = setup_git_directory();
+	const char **pathspec;
+	struct dir_struct dir;
+
+	git_config(git_default_config);
+
+	newfd = hold_index_file_for_update(&cache_file, get_index_file());
+	if (newfd < 0)
+		die("unable to create new cachefile");
+
+	if (read_cache() < 0)
+		die("index file corrupt");
+
+	for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
+		const char *arg = argv[i];
+
+		if (arg[0] != '-')
+			break;
+		if (!strcmp(arg, "--")) {
+			i++;
+			break;
+		}
+		if (!strcmp(arg, "-n")) {
+			show_only = 1;
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (!strcmp(arg, "-v")) {
+			verbose = 1;
+			continue;
+		}
+		die(builtin_add_usage);
+	}
+	git_config(git_default_config);
+	pathspec = get_pathspec(prefix, argv + i);
+
+	fill_directory(&dir, pathspec);
+
+	if (show_only) {
+		const char *sep = "", *eof = "";
+		for (i = 0; i < dir.nr; i++) {
+			printf("%s%s", sep, dir.entries[i]->name);
+			sep = " ";
+			eof = "\n";
+		}
+		fputs(eof, stdout);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; i < dir.nr; i++)
+		add_file_to_index(dir.entries[i]->name, verbose);
+
+	if (active_cache_changed) {
+		if (write_cache(newfd, active_cache, active_nr) ||
+		    commit_index_file(&cache_file))
+			die("Unable to write new index file");
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/builtin.h b/builtin.h
index 97e2464468..ccd0e31b2c 100644
--- a/builtin.h
+++ b/builtin.h
@@ -25,5 +25,6 @@ extern int cmd_count_objects(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp);
 
 extern int cmd_push(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp);
 extern int cmd_grep(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp);
+extern int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d40b62e1c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -0,0 +1,321 @@
+/*
+ * This handles recursive filename detection with exclude
+ * files, index knowledge etc..
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) Linus Torvalds, 2005-2006
+ *		 Junio Hamano, 2005-2006
+ */
+#include <dirent.h>
+#include <fnmatch.h>
+
+#include "cache.h"
+#include "dir.h"
+
+void add_exclude(const char *string, const char *base,
+		 int baselen, struct exclude_list *which)
+{
+	struct exclude *x = xmalloc(sizeof (*x));
+
+	x->pattern = string;
+	x->base = base;
+	x->baselen = baselen;
+	if (which->nr == which->alloc) {
+		which->alloc = alloc_nr(which->alloc);
+		which->excludes = realloc(which->excludes,
+					  which->alloc * sizeof(x));
+	}
+	which->excludes[which->nr++] = x;
+}
+
+static int add_excludes_from_file_1(const char *fname,
+				    const char *base,
+				    int baselen,
+				    struct exclude_list *which)
+{
+	int fd, i;
+	long size;
+	char *buf, *entry;
+
+	fd = open(fname, O_RDONLY);
+	if (fd < 0)
+		goto err;
+	size = lseek(fd, 0, SEEK_END);
+	if (size < 0)
+		goto err;
+	lseek(fd, 0, SEEK_SET);
+	if (size == 0) {
+		close(fd);
+		return 0;
+	}
+	buf = xmalloc(size+1);
+	if (read(fd, buf, size) != size)
+		goto err;
+	close(fd);
+
+	buf[size++] = '\n';
+	entry = buf;
+	for (i = 0; i < size; i++) {
+		if (buf[i] == '\n') {
+			if (entry != buf + i && entry[0] != '#') {
+				buf[i - (i && buf[i-1] == '\r')] = 0;
+				add_exclude(entry, base, baselen, which);
+			}
+			entry = buf + i + 1;
+		}
+	}
+	return 0;
+
+ err:
+	if (0 <= fd)
+		close(fd);
+	return -1;
+}
+
+void add_excludes_from_file(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *fname)
+{
+	if (add_excludes_from_file_1(fname, "", 0,
+				     &dir->exclude_list[EXC_FILE]) < 0)
+		die("cannot use %s as an exclude file", fname);
+}
+
+static int push_exclude_per_directory(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *base, int baselen)
+{
+	char exclude_file[PATH_MAX];
+	struct exclude_list *el = &dir->exclude_list[EXC_DIRS];
+	int current_nr = el->nr;
+
+	if (dir->exclude_per_dir) {
+		memcpy(exclude_file, base, baselen);
+		strcpy(exclude_file + baselen, dir->exclude_per_dir);
+		add_excludes_from_file_1(exclude_file, base, baselen, el);
+	}
+	return current_nr;
+}
+
+static void pop_exclude_per_directory(struct dir_struct *dir, int stk)
+{
+	struct exclude_list *el = &dir->exclude_list[EXC_DIRS];
+
+	while (stk < el->nr)
+		free(el->excludes[--el->nr]);
+}
+
+/* Scan the list and let the last match determines the fate.
+ * Return 1 for exclude, 0 for include and -1 for undecided.
+ */
+static int excluded_1(const char *pathname,
+		      int pathlen,
+		      struct exclude_list *el)
+{
+	int i;
+
+	if (el->nr) {
+		for (i = el->nr - 1; 0 <= i; i--) {
+			struct exclude *x = el->excludes[i];
+			const char *exclude = x->pattern;
+			int to_exclude = 1;
+
+			if (*exclude == '!') {
+				to_exclude = 0;
+				exclude++;
+			}
+
+			if (!strchr(exclude, '/')) {
+				/* match basename */
+				const char *basename = strrchr(pathname, '/');
+				basename = (basename) ? basename+1 : pathname;
+				if (fnmatch(exclude, basename, 0) == 0)
+					return to_exclude;
+			}
+			else {
+				/* match with FNM_PATHNAME:
+				 * exclude has base (baselen long) implicitly
+				 * in front of it.
+				 */
+				int baselen = x->baselen;
+				if (*exclude == '/')
+					exclude++;
+
+				if (pathlen < baselen ||
+				    (baselen && pathname[baselen-1] != '/') ||
+				    strncmp(pathname, x->base, baselen))
+				    continue;
+
+				if (fnmatch(exclude, pathname+baselen,
+					    FNM_PATHNAME) == 0)
+					return to_exclude;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return -1; /* undecided */
+}
+
+int excluded(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *pathname)
+{
+	int pathlen = strlen(pathname);
+	int st;
+
+	for (st = EXC_CMDL; st <= EXC_FILE; st++) {
+		switch (excluded_1(pathname, pathlen, &dir->exclude_list[st])) {
+		case 0:
+			return 0;
+		case 1:
+			return 1;
+		}
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void add_name(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *pathname, int len)
+{
+	struct dir_entry *ent;
+
+	if (cache_name_pos(pathname, len) >= 0)
+		return;
+
+	if (dir->nr == dir->alloc) {
+		int alloc = alloc_nr(dir->alloc);
+		dir->alloc = alloc;
+		dir->entries = xrealloc(dir->entries, alloc*sizeof(ent));
+	}
+	ent = xmalloc(sizeof(*ent) + len + 1);
+	ent->len = len;
+	memcpy(ent->name, pathname, len);
+	ent->name[len] = 0;
+	dir->entries[dir->nr++] = ent;
+}
+
+static int dir_exists(const char *dirname, int len)
+{
+	int pos = cache_name_pos(dirname, len);
+	if (pos >= 0)
+		return 1;
+	pos = -pos-1;
+	if (pos >= active_nr) /* can't */
+		return 0;
+	return !strncmp(active_cache[pos]->name, dirname, len);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Read a directory tree. We currently ignore anything but
+ * directories, regular files and symlinks. That's because git
+ * doesn't handle them at all yet. Maybe that will change some
+ * day.
+ *
+ * Also, we ignore the name ".git" (even if it is not a directory).
+ * That likely will not change.
+ */
+static int read_directory_recursive(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *path, const char *base, int baselen)
+{
+	DIR *fdir = opendir(path);
+	int contents = 0;
+
+	if (fdir) {
+		int exclude_stk;
+		struct dirent *de;
+		char fullname[MAXPATHLEN + 1];
+		memcpy(fullname, base, baselen);
+
+		exclude_stk = push_exclude_per_directory(dir, base, baselen);
+
+		while ((de = readdir(fdir)) != NULL) {
+			int len;
+
+			if ((de->d_name[0] == '.') &&
+			    (de->d_name[1] == 0 ||
+			     !strcmp(de->d_name + 1, ".") ||
+			     !strcmp(de->d_name + 1, "git")))
+				continue;
+			len = strlen(de->d_name);
+			memcpy(fullname + baselen, de->d_name, len+1);
+			if (excluded(dir, fullname) != dir->show_ignored) {
+				if (!dir->show_ignored || DTYPE(de) != DT_DIR) {
+					continue;
+				}
+			}
+
+			switch (DTYPE(de)) {
+			struct stat st;
+			int subdir, rewind_base;
+			default:
+				continue;
+			case DT_UNKNOWN:
+				if (lstat(fullname, &st))
+					continue;
+				if (S_ISREG(st.st_mode) || S_ISLNK(st.st_mode))
+					break;
+				if (!S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
+					continue;
+				/* fallthrough */
+			case DT_DIR:
+				memcpy(fullname + baselen + len, "/", 2);
+				len++;
+				rewind_base = dir->nr;
+				subdir = read_directory_recursive(dir, fullname, fullname,
+				                        baselen + len);
+				if (dir->show_other_directories &&
+				    (subdir || !dir->hide_empty_directories) &&
+				    !dir_exists(fullname, baselen + len)) {
+					// Rewind the read subdirectory
+					while (dir->nr > rewind_base)
+						free(dir->entries[--dir->nr]);
+					break;
+				}
+				contents += subdir;
+				continue;
+			case DT_REG:
+			case DT_LNK:
+				break;
+			}
+			add_name(dir, fullname, baselen + len);
+			contents++;
+		}
+		closedir(fdir);
+
+		pop_exclude_per_directory(dir, exclude_stk);
+	}
+
+	return contents;
+}
+
+static int cmp_name(const void *p1, const void *p2)
+{
+	const struct dir_entry *e1 = *(const struct dir_entry **)p1;
+	const struct dir_entry *e2 = *(const struct dir_entry **)p2;
+
+	return cache_name_compare(e1->name, e1->len,
+				  e2->name, e2->len);
+}
+
+int read_directory(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *path, const char *base, int baselen)
+{
+	/*
+	 * Make sure to do the per-directory exclude for all the
+	 * directories leading up to our base.
+	 */
+	if (baselen) {
+		if (dir->exclude_per_dir) {
+			char *p, *pp = xmalloc(baselen+1);
+			memcpy(pp, base, baselen+1);
+			p = pp;
+			while (1) {
+				char save = *p;
+				*p = 0;
+				push_exclude_per_directory(dir, pp, p-pp);
+				*p++ = save;
+				if (!save)
+					break;
+				p = strchr(p, '/');
+				if (p)
+					p++;
+				else
+					p = pp + baselen;
+			}
+			free(pp);
+		}
+	}
+
+	read_directory_recursive(dir, path, base, baselen);
+	qsort(dir->entries, dir->nr, sizeof(struct dir_entry *), cmp_name);
+	return dir->nr;
+}
diff --git a/dir.h b/dir.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f65f57085
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dir.h
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#ifndef DIR_H
+#define DIR_H
+
+/*
+ * We maintain three exclude pattern lists:
+ * EXC_CMDL lists patterns explicitly given on the command line.
+ * EXC_DIRS lists patterns obtained from per-directory ignore files.
+ * EXC_FILE lists patterns from fallback ignore files.
+ */
+#define EXC_CMDL 0
+#define EXC_DIRS 1
+#define EXC_FILE 2
+
+
+struct dir_entry {
+	int len;
+	char name[FLEX_ARRAY]; /* more */
+};
+
+struct exclude_list {
+	int nr;
+	int alloc;
+	struct exclude {
+		const char *pattern;
+		const char *base;
+		int baselen;
+	} **excludes;
+};
+
+struct dir_struct {
+	int nr, alloc;
+	unsigned int show_ignored:1,
+		     show_other_directories:1,
+		     hide_empty_directories:1;
+	struct dir_entry **entries;
+
+	/* Exclude info */
+	const char *exclude_per_dir;
+	struct exclude_list exclude_list[3];
+};
+
+extern int read_directory(struct dir_struct *, const char *path, const char *base, int baselen);
+extern int excluded(struct dir_struct *, const char *);
+extern void add_excludes_from_file(struct dir_struct *, const char *fname);
+extern void add_exclude(const char *string, const char *base,
+			int baselen, struct exclude_list *which);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 84803a62e6..6a470cf140 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ static void handle_internal_command(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp)
 		{ "count-objects", cmd_count_objects },
 		{ "diff", cmd_diff },
 		{ "grep", cmd_grep },
+		{ "add", cmd_add },
 	};
 	int i;
 
diff --git a/ls-files.c b/ls-files.c
index 4a4af1ca3b..dfe1481a35 100644
--- a/ls-files.c
+++ b/ls-files.c
@@ -5,23 +5,20 @@
  *
  * Copyright (C) Linus Torvalds, 2005
  */
-#include <dirent.h>
 #include <fnmatch.h>
 
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "quote.h"
+#include "dir.h"
 
 static int abbrev = 0;
 static int show_deleted = 0;
 static int show_cached = 0;
 static int show_others = 0;
-static int show_ignored = 0;
 static int show_stage = 0;
 static int show_unmerged = 0;
 static int show_modified = 0;
 static int show_killed = 0;
-static int show_other_directories = 0;
-static int hide_empty_directories = 0;
 static int show_valid_bit = 0;
 static int line_terminator = '\n';
 
@@ -38,309 +35,6 @@ static const char *tag_other = "";
 static const char *tag_killed = "";
 static const char *tag_modified = "";
 
-static const char *exclude_per_dir = NULL;
-
-/* We maintain three exclude pattern lists:
- * EXC_CMDL lists patterns explicitly given on the command line.
- * EXC_DIRS lists patterns obtained from per-directory ignore files.
- * EXC_FILE lists patterns from fallback ignore files.
- */
-#define EXC_CMDL 0
-#define EXC_DIRS 1
-#define EXC_FILE 2
-static struct exclude_list {
-	int nr;
-	int alloc;
-	struct exclude {
-		const char *pattern;
-		const char *base;
-		int baselen;
-	} **excludes;
-} exclude_list[3];
-
-static void add_exclude(const char *string, const char *base,
-			int baselen, struct exclude_list *which)
-{
-	struct exclude *x = xmalloc(sizeof (*x));
-
-	x->pattern = string;
-	x->base = base;
-	x->baselen = baselen;
-	if (which->nr == which->alloc) {
-		which->alloc = alloc_nr(which->alloc);
-		which->excludes = realloc(which->excludes,
-					  which->alloc * sizeof(x));
-	}
-	which->excludes[which->nr++] = x;
-}
-
-static int add_excludes_from_file_1(const char *fname,
-				    const char *base,
-				    int baselen,
-				    struct exclude_list *which)
-{
-	int fd, i;
-	long size;
-	char *buf, *entry;
-
-	fd = open(fname, O_RDONLY);
-	if (fd < 0)
-		goto err;
-	size = lseek(fd, 0, SEEK_END);
-	if (size < 0)
-		goto err;
-	lseek(fd, 0, SEEK_SET);
-	if (size == 0) {
-		close(fd);
-		return 0;
-	}
-	buf = xmalloc(size+1);
-	if (read(fd, buf, size) != size)
-		goto err;
-	close(fd);
-
-	buf[size++] = '\n';
-	entry = buf;
-	for (i = 0; i < size; i++) {
-		if (buf[i] == '\n') {
-			if (entry != buf + i && entry[0] != '#') {
-				buf[i - (i && buf[i-1] == '\r')] = 0;
-				add_exclude(entry, base, baselen, which);
-			}
-			entry = buf + i + 1;
-		}
-	}
-	return 0;
-
- err:
-	if (0 <= fd)
-		close(fd);
-	return -1;
-}
-
-static void add_excludes_from_file(const char *fname)
-{
-	if (add_excludes_from_file_1(fname, "", 0,
-				     &exclude_list[EXC_FILE]) < 0)
-		die("cannot use %s as an exclude file", fname);
-}
-
-static int push_exclude_per_directory(const char *base, int baselen)
-{
-	char exclude_file[PATH_MAX];
-	struct exclude_list *el = &exclude_list[EXC_DIRS];
-	int current_nr = el->nr;
-
-	if (exclude_per_dir) {
-		memcpy(exclude_file, base, baselen);
-		strcpy(exclude_file + baselen, exclude_per_dir);
-		add_excludes_from_file_1(exclude_file, base, baselen, el);
-	}
-	return current_nr;
-}
-
-static void pop_exclude_per_directory(int stk)
-{
-	struct exclude_list *el = &exclude_list[EXC_DIRS];
-
-	while (stk < el->nr)
-		free(el->excludes[--el->nr]);
-}
-
-/* Scan the list and let the last match determines the fate.
- * Return 1 for exclude, 0 for include and -1 for undecided.
- */
-static int excluded_1(const char *pathname,
-		      int pathlen,
-		      struct exclude_list *el)
-{
-	int i;
-
-	if (el->nr) {
-		for (i = el->nr - 1; 0 <= i; i--) {
-			struct exclude *x = el->excludes[i];
-			const char *exclude = x->pattern;
-			int to_exclude = 1;
-
-			if (*exclude == '!') {
-				to_exclude = 0;
-				exclude++;
-			}
-
-			if (!strchr(exclude, '/')) {
-				/* match basename */
-				const char *basename = strrchr(pathname, '/');
-				basename = (basename) ? basename+1 : pathname;
-				if (fnmatch(exclude, basename, 0) == 0)
-					return to_exclude;
-			}
-			else {
-				/* match with FNM_PATHNAME:
-				 * exclude has base (baselen long) implicitly
-				 * in front of it.
-				 */
-				int baselen = x->baselen;
-				if (*exclude == '/')
-					exclude++;
-
-				if (pathlen < baselen ||
-				    (baselen && pathname[baselen-1] != '/') ||
-				    strncmp(pathname, x->base, baselen))
-				    continue;
-
-				if (fnmatch(exclude, pathname+baselen,
-					    FNM_PATHNAME) == 0)
-					return to_exclude;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return -1; /* undecided */
-}
-
-static int excluded(const char *pathname)
-{
-	int pathlen = strlen(pathname);
-	int st;
-
-	for (st = EXC_CMDL; st <= EXC_FILE; st++) {
-		switch (excluded_1(pathname, pathlen, &exclude_list[st])) {
-		case 0:
-			return 0;
-		case 1:
-			return 1;
-		}
-	}
-	return 0;
-}
-
-struct nond_on_fs {
-	int len;
-	char name[FLEX_ARRAY]; /* more */
-};
-
-static struct nond_on_fs **dir;
-static int nr_dir;
-static int dir_alloc;
-
-static void add_name(const char *pathname, int len)
-{
-	struct nond_on_fs *ent;
-
-	if (cache_name_pos(pathname, len) >= 0)
-		return;
-
-	if (nr_dir == dir_alloc) {
-		dir_alloc = alloc_nr(dir_alloc);
-		dir = xrealloc(dir, dir_alloc*sizeof(ent));
-	}
-	ent = xmalloc(sizeof(*ent) + len + 1);
-	ent->len = len;
-	memcpy(ent->name, pathname, len);
-	ent->name[len] = 0;
-	dir[nr_dir++] = ent;
-}
-
-static int dir_exists(const char *dirname, int len)
-{
-	int pos = cache_name_pos(dirname, len);
-	if (pos >= 0)
-		return 1;
-	pos = -pos-1;
-	if (pos >= active_nr) /* can't */
-		return 0;
-	return !strncmp(active_cache[pos]->name, dirname, len);
-}
-
-/*
- * Read a directory tree. We currently ignore anything but
- * directories, regular files and symlinks. That's because git
- * doesn't handle them at all yet. Maybe that will change some
- * day.
- *
- * Also, we ignore the name ".git" (even if it is not a directory).
- * That likely will not change.
- */
-static int read_directory(const char *path, const char *base, int baselen)
-{
-	DIR *fdir = opendir(path);
-	int contents = 0;
-
-	if (fdir) {
-		int exclude_stk;
-		struct dirent *de;
-		char fullname[MAXPATHLEN + 1];
-		memcpy(fullname, base, baselen);
-
-		exclude_stk = push_exclude_per_directory(base, baselen);
-
-		while ((de = readdir(fdir)) != NULL) {
-			int len;
-
-			if ((de->d_name[0] == '.') &&
-			    (de->d_name[1] == 0 ||
-			     !strcmp(de->d_name + 1, ".") ||
-			     !strcmp(de->d_name + 1, "git")))
-				continue;
-			len = strlen(de->d_name);
-			memcpy(fullname + baselen, de->d_name, len+1);
-			if (excluded(fullname) != show_ignored) {
-				if (!show_ignored || DTYPE(de) != DT_DIR) {
-					continue;
-				}
-			}
-
-			switch (DTYPE(de)) {
-			struct stat st;
-			int subdir, rewind_base;
-			default:
-				continue;
-			case DT_UNKNOWN:
-				if (lstat(fullname, &st))
-					continue;
-				if (S_ISREG(st.st_mode) || S_ISLNK(st.st_mode))
-					break;
-				if (!S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
-					continue;
-				/* fallthrough */
-			case DT_DIR:
-				memcpy(fullname + baselen + len, "/", 2);
-				len++;
-				rewind_base = nr_dir;
-				subdir = read_directory(fullname, fullname,
-				                        baselen + len);
-				if (show_other_directories &&
-				    (subdir || !hide_empty_directories) &&
-				    !dir_exists(fullname, baselen + len)) {
-					// Rewind the read subdirectory
-					while (nr_dir > rewind_base)
-						free(dir[--nr_dir]);
-					break;
-				}
-				contents += subdir;
-				continue;
-			case DT_REG:
-			case DT_LNK:
-				break;
-			}
-			add_name(fullname, baselen + len);
-			contents++;
-		}
-		closedir(fdir);
-
-		pop_exclude_per_directory(exclude_stk);
-	}
-
-	return contents;
-}
-
-static int cmp_name(const void *p1, const void *p2)
-{
-	const struct nond_on_fs *e1 = *(const struct nond_on_fs **)p1;
-	const struct nond_on_fs *e2 = *(const struct nond_on_fs **)p2;
-
-	return cache_name_compare(e1->name, e1->len,
-				  e2->name, e2->len);
-}
 
 /*
  * Match a pathspec against a filename. The first "len" characters
@@ -377,7 +71,7 @@ static int match(const char **spec, char *ps_matched,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void show_dir_entry(const char *tag, struct nond_on_fs *ent)
+static void show_dir_entry(const char *tag, struct dir_entry *ent)
 {
 	int len = prefix_len;
 	int offset = prefix_offset;
@@ -393,14 +87,14 @@ static void show_dir_entry(const char *tag, struct nond_on_fs *ent)
 	putchar(line_terminator);
 }
 
-static void show_other_files(void)
+static void show_other_files(struct dir_struct *dir)
 {
 	int i;
-	for (i = 0; i < nr_dir; i++) {
+	for (i = 0; i < dir->nr; i++) {
 		/* We should not have a matching entry, but we
 		 * may have an unmerged entry for this path.
 		 */
-		struct nond_on_fs *ent = dir[i];
+		struct dir_entry *ent = dir->entries[i];
 		int pos = cache_name_pos(ent->name, ent->len);
 		struct cache_entry *ce;
 		if (0 <= pos)
@@ -416,11 +110,11 @@ static void show_other_files(void)
 	}
 }
 
-static void show_killed_files(void)
+static void show_killed_files(struct dir_struct *dir)
 {
 	int i;
-	for (i = 0; i < nr_dir; i++) {
-		struct nond_on_fs *ent = dir[i];
+	for (i = 0; i < dir->nr; i++) {
+		struct dir_entry *ent = dir->entries[i];
 		char *cp, *sp;
 		int pos, len, killed = 0;
 
@@ -461,7 +155,7 @@ static void show_killed_files(void)
 			}
 		}
 		if (killed)
-			show_dir_entry(tag_killed, dir[i]);
+			show_dir_entry(tag_killed, dir->entries[i]);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -512,7 +206,7 @@ static void show_ce_entry(const char *tag, struct cache_entry *ce)
 	}
 }
 
-static void show_files(void)
+static void show_files(struct dir_struct *dir)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -521,39 +215,18 @@ static void show_files(void)
 		const char *path = ".", *base = "";
 		int baselen = prefix_len;
 
-		if (baselen) {
+		if (baselen)
 			path = base = prefix;
-			if (exclude_per_dir) {
-				char *p, *pp = xmalloc(baselen+1);
-				memcpy(pp, prefix, baselen+1);
-				p = pp;
-				while (1) {
-					char save = *p;
-					*p = 0;
-					push_exclude_per_directory(pp, p-pp);
-					*p++ = save;
-					if (!save)
-						break;
-					p = strchr(p, '/');
-					if (p)
-						p++;
-					else
-						p = pp + baselen;
-				}
-				free(pp);
-			}
-		}
-		read_directory(path, base, baselen);
-		qsort(dir, nr_dir, sizeof(struct nond_on_fs *), cmp_name);
+		read_directory(dir, path, base, baselen);
 		if (show_others)
-			show_other_files();
+			show_other_files(dir);
 		if (show_killed)
-			show_killed_files();
+			show_killed_files(dir);
 	}
 	if (show_cached | show_stage) {
 		for (i = 0; i < active_nr; i++) {
 			struct cache_entry *ce = active_cache[i];
-			if (excluded(ce->name) != show_ignored)
+			if (excluded(dir, ce->name) != dir->show_ignored)
 				continue;
 			if (show_unmerged && !ce_stage(ce))
 				continue;
@@ -565,7 +238,7 @@ static void show_files(void)
 			struct cache_entry *ce = active_cache[i];
 			struct stat st;
 			int err;
-			if (excluded(ce->name) != show_ignored)
+			if (excluded(dir, ce->name) != dir->show_ignored)
 				continue;
 			err = lstat(ce->name, &st);
 			if (show_deleted && err)
@@ -652,7 +325,9 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
 	int i;
 	int exc_given = 0;
+	struct dir_struct dir;
 
+	memset(&dir, 0, sizeof(dir));
 	prefix = setup_git_directory();
 	if (prefix)
 		prefix_offset = strlen(prefix);
@@ -697,7 +372,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!strcmp(arg, "-i") || !strcmp(arg, "--ignored")) {
-			show_ignored = 1;
+			dir.show_ignored = 1;
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!strcmp(arg, "-s") || !strcmp(arg, "--stage")) {
@@ -709,11 +384,11 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!strcmp(arg, "--directory")) {
-			show_other_directories = 1;
+			dir.show_other_directories = 1;
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!strcmp(arg, "--no-empty-directory")) {
-			hide_empty_directories = 1;
+			dir.hide_empty_directories = 1;
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!strcmp(arg, "-u") || !strcmp(arg, "--unmerged")) {
@@ -726,27 +401,27 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 		}
 		if (!strcmp(arg, "-x") && i+1 < argc) {
 			exc_given = 1;
-			add_exclude(argv[++i], "", 0, &exclude_list[EXC_CMDL]);
+			add_exclude(argv[++i], "", 0, &dir.exclude_list[EXC_CMDL]);
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!strncmp(arg, "--exclude=", 10)) {
 			exc_given = 1;
-			add_exclude(arg+10, "", 0, &exclude_list[EXC_CMDL]);
+			add_exclude(arg+10, "", 0, &dir.exclude_list[EXC_CMDL]);
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!strcmp(arg, "-X") && i+1 < argc) {
 			exc_given = 1;
-			add_excludes_from_file(argv[++i]);
+			add_excludes_from_file(&dir, argv[++i]);
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!strncmp(arg, "--exclude-from=", 15)) {
 			exc_given = 1;
-			add_excludes_from_file(arg+15);
+			add_excludes_from_file(&dir, arg+15);
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!strncmp(arg, "--exclude-per-directory=", 24)) {
 			exc_given = 1;
-			exclude_per_dir = arg + 24;
+			dir.exclude_per_dir = arg + 24;
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!strcmp(arg, "--full-name")) {
@@ -788,7 +463,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 		ps_matched = xcalloc(1, num);
 	}
 
-	if (show_ignored && !exc_given) {
+	if (dir.show_ignored && !exc_given) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s: --ignored needs some exclude pattern\n",
 			argv[0]);
 		exit(1);
@@ -802,7 +477,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 	read_cache();
 	if (prefix)
 		prune_cache();
-	show_files();
+	show_files(&dir);
 
 	if (ps_matched) {
 		/* We need to make sure all pathspec matched otherwise