diff --git a/include/git2/config.h b/include/git2/config.h
index 67408f90f..e417cb379 100644
--- a/include/git2/config.h
+++ b/include/git2/config.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ struct git_config_file {
 	int (*set_multivar)(git_config_file *cfg, const char *name, const char *regexp, const char *value);
 	int (*del)(struct git_config_file *, const char *key);
 	int (*foreach)(struct git_config_file *, const char *, int (*fn)(const git_config_entry *, void *), void *data);
+	int (*refresh)(struct git_config_file *);
 	void (*free)(struct git_config_file *);
 };
 
@@ -242,6 +243,19 @@ GIT_EXTERN(int) git_config_open_level(
     git_config *cfg_parent,
     unsigned int level);
 
+/**
+ * Reload changed config files
+ *
+ * A config file may be changed on disk out from under the in-memory
+ * config object.  This function causes us to look for files that have
+ * been modified since we last loaded them and refresh the config with
+ * the latest information.
+ *
+ * @param cfg The configuration to refresh
+ * @return 0 or an error code
+ */
+GIT_EXTERN(int) git_config_refresh(git_config *cfg);
+
 /**
  * Free the configuration and its associated memory and files
  *
diff --git a/src/attr.c b/src/attr.c
index f5e09cc08..50caa1e1b 100644
--- a/src/attr.c
+++ b/src/attr.c
@@ -261,31 +261,25 @@ bool git_attr_cache__is_cached(
 
 static int load_attr_file(
 	const char **data,
-	git_attr_file_stat_sig *sig,
+	git_futils_stat_sig *sig,
 	const char *filename)
 {
 	int error;
 	git_buf content = GIT_BUF_INIT;
-	struct stat st;
 
-	if (p_stat(filename, &st) < 0)
-		return GIT_ENOTFOUND;
-
-	if (sig != NULL &&
-		(git_time_t)st.st_mtime == sig->seconds &&
-		(git_off_t)st.st_size == sig->size &&
-		(unsigned int)st.st_ino == sig->ino)
-		return GIT_ENOTFOUND;
-
-	error = git_futils_readbuffer_updated(&content, filename, NULL, NULL);
+	error = git_futils_stat_sig_needs_reload(sig, filename);
 	if (error < 0)
 		return error;
 
-	if (sig != NULL) {
-		sig->seconds = (git_time_t)st.st_mtime;
-		sig->size    = (git_off_t)st.st_size;
-		sig->ino     = (unsigned int)st.st_ino;
-	}
+	/* if error == 0, then file is up to date. By returning GIT_ENOTFOUND,
+	 * we tell the caller not to reparse this file...
+	 */
+	if (!error)
+		return GIT_ENOTFOUND;
+
+	error = git_futils_readbuffer(&content, filename);
+	if (error < 0)
+		return error;
 
 	*data = git_buf_detach(&content);
 
@@ -386,7 +380,7 @@ int git_attr_cache__push_file(
 	git_attr_cache *cache = git_repository_attr_cache(repo);
 	git_attr_file *file = NULL;
 	git_blob *blob = NULL;
-	git_attr_file_stat_sig st;
+	git_futils_stat_sig sig;
 
 	assert(filename && stack);
 
@@ -409,11 +403,11 @@ int git_attr_cache__push_file(
 
 	if (source == GIT_ATTR_FILE_FROM_FILE) {
 		if (file)
-			memcpy(&st, &file->cache_data.st, sizeof(st));
+			memcpy(&sig, &file->cache_data.sig, sizeof(sig));
 		else
-			memset(&st, 0, sizeof(st));
+			memset(&sig, 0, sizeof(sig));
 
-		error = load_attr_file(&content, &st, filename);
+		error = load_attr_file(&content, &sig, filename);
 	} else {
 		error = load_attr_blob_from_index(&content, &blob,
 			repo, file ? &file->cache_data.oid : NULL, relfile);
@@ -448,7 +442,7 @@ int git_attr_cache__push_file(
 	if (blob)
 		git_oid_cpy(&file->cache_data.oid, git_object_id((git_object *)blob));
 	else
-		memcpy(&file->cache_data.st, &st, sizeof(st));
+		memcpy(&file->cache_data.sig, &sig, sizeof(sig));
 
 finish:
 	/* push file onto vector if we found one*/
diff --git a/src/attr_file.h b/src/attr_file.h
index 877daf306..ecd64866f 100644
--- a/src/attr_file.h
+++ b/src/attr_file.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "vector.h"
 #include "pool.h"
 #include "buffer.h"
+#include "fileops.h"
 
 #define GIT_ATTR_FILE			".gitattributes"
 #define GIT_ATTR_FILE_INREPO	"info/attributes"
@@ -53,12 +54,6 @@ typedef struct {
     const char *value;
 } git_attr_assignment;
 
-typedef struct {
-	git_time_t seconds;
-	git_off_t  size;
-	unsigned int ino;
-} git_attr_file_stat_sig;
-
 typedef struct {
 	char *key;				/* cache "source#path" this was loaded from */
 	git_vector rules;		/* vector of <rule*> or <fnmatch*> */
@@ -66,7 +61,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	bool pool_is_allocated;
 	union {
 		git_oid oid;
-		git_attr_file_stat_sig st;
+		git_futils_stat_sig sig;
 	} cache_data;
 } git_attr_file;
 
diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 937510d7e..033bde425 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -267,6 +267,20 @@ int git_config_add_file(
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int git_config_refresh(git_config *cfg)
+{
+	int error = 0;
+	unsigned int i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < cfg->files.length && !error; ++i) {
+		file_internal *internal = git_vector_get(&cfg->files, i);
+		git_config_file *file = internal->file;
+		error = file->refresh(file);
+	}
+
+	return error;
+}
+
 /*
  * Loop over all the variables
  */
diff --git a/src/config_file.c b/src/config_file.c
index 92fe13296..1eae8b9ac 100644
--- a/src/config_file.c
+++ b/src/config_file.c
@@ -75,7 +75,11 @@ typedef struct {
 		int eof;
 	} reader;
 
-	char *file_path;
+	char  *file_path;
+	time_t file_mtime;
+	size_t file_size;
+
+	unsigned int level;
 } diskfile_backend;
 
 static int config_parse(diskfile_backend *cfg_file, unsigned int level);
@@ -150,25 +154,53 @@ static int config_open(git_config_file *cfg, unsigned int level)
 	int res;
 	diskfile_backend *b = (diskfile_backend *)cfg;
 
+	b->level = level;
+
 	b->values = git_strmap_alloc();
 	GITERR_CHECK_ALLOC(b->values);
 
 	git_buf_init(&b->reader.buffer, 0);
-	res = git_futils_readbuffer(&b->reader.buffer, b->file_path);
+	res = git_futils_readbuffer_updated(
+		&b->reader.buffer, b->file_path, &b->file_mtime, &b->file_size, NULL);
 
 	/* It's fine if the file doesn't exist */
 	if (res == GIT_ENOTFOUND)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (res < 0 || config_parse(b, level) <  0) {
+	if (res < 0 || (res = config_parse(b, level)) < 0) {
 		free_vars(b->values);
 		b->values = NULL;
-		git_buf_free(&b->reader.buffer);
-		return -1;
 	}
 
 	git_buf_free(&b->reader.buffer);
-	return 0;
+	return res;
+}
+
+static int config_refresh(git_config_file *cfg)
+{
+	int res, updated = 0;
+	diskfile_backend *b = (diskfile_backend *)cfg;
+	git_strmap *old_values;
+
+	res = git_futils_readbuffer_updated(
+		&b->reader.buffer, b->file_path, &b->file_mtime, &b->file_size, &updated);
+	if (res < 0 || !updated)
+		return (res == GIT_ENOTFOUND) ? 0 : res;
+
+	/* need to reload - store old values and prep for reload */
+	old_values = b->values;
+	b->values = git_strmap_alloc();
+	GITERR_CHECK_ALLOC(b->values);
+
+	if ((res = config_parse(b, b->level)) < 0) {
+		free_vars(b->values);
+		b->values = old_values;
+	} else {
+		free_vars(old_values);
+	}
+
+	git_buf_free(&b->reader.buffer);
+	return res;
 }
 
 static void backend_free(git_config_file *_backend)
@@ -527,6 +559,7 @@ int git_config_file__ondisk(git_config_file **out, const char *path)
 	backend->parent.set_multivar = config_set_multivar;
 	backend->parent.del = config_delete;
 	backend->parent.foreach = file_foreach;
+	backend->parent.refresh = config_refresh;
 	backend->parent.free = backend_free;
 
 	*out = (git_config_file *)backend;
@@ -1197,8 +1230,12 @@ static int config_write(diskfile_backend *cfg, const char *key, const regex_t *p
 	git__free(section);
 	git__free(current_section);
 
+	/* refresh stats - if this errors, then commit will error too */
+	(void)git_filebuf_stats(&cfg->file_mtime, &cfg->file_size, &file);
+
 	result = git_filebuf_commit(&file, GIT_CONFIG_FILE_MODE);
 	git_buf_free(&cfg->reader.buffer);
+
 	return result;
 
 rewrite_fail:
diff --git a/src/filebuf.c b/src/filebuf.c
index b9b908c8d..5e5db0db6 100644
--- a/src/filebuf.c
+++ b/src/filebuf.c
@@ -466,3 +466,26 @@ int git_filebuf_printf(git_filebuf *file, const char *format, ...)
 	return res;
 }
 
+int git_filebuf_stats(time_t *mtime, size_t *size, git_filebuf *file)
+{
+	int res;
+	struct stat st;
+
+	if (file->fd_is_open)
+		res = p_fstat(file->fd, &st);
+	else
+		res = p_stat(file->path_original, &st);
+
+	if (res < 0) {
+		giterr_set(GITERR_OS, "Could not get stat info for '%s'",
+			file->path_original);
+		return res;
+	}
+
+	if (mtime)
+		*mtime = st.st_mtime;
+	if (size)
+		*size = (size_t)st.st_size;
+
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/filebuf.h b/src/filebuf.h
index 377883147..a74bb0ce1 100644
--- a/src/filebuf.h
+++ b/src/filebuf.h
@@ -82,5 +82,6 @@ int git_filebuf_commit_at(git_filebuf *lock, const char *path, mode_t mode);
 void git_filebuf_cleanup(git_filebuf *lock);
 int git_filebuf_hash(git_oid *oid, git_filebuf *file);
 int git_filebuf_flush(git_filebuf *file);
+int git_filebuf_stats(time_t *mtime, size_t *size, git_filebuf *file);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/fileops.c b/src/fileops.c
index 6342b1679..c22622c72 100644
--- a/src/fileops.c
+++ b/src/fileops.c
@@ -142,10 +142,11 @@ int git_futils_readbuffer_fd(git_buf *buf, git_file fd, size_t len)
 }
 
 int git_futils_readbuffer_updated(
-	git_buf *buf, const char *path, time_t *mtime, int *updated)
+	git_buf *buf, const char *path, time_t *mtime, size_t *size, int *updated)
 {
 	git_file fd;
 	struct stat st;
+	bool changed = false;
 
 	assert(buf && path && *path);
 
@@ -162,16 +163,25 @@ int git_futils_readbuffer_updated(
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * If we were given a time, we only want to read the file if it
-	 * has been modified.
+	 * If we were given a time and/or a size, we only want to read the file
+	 * if it has been modified.
 	 */
-	if (mtime != NULL && *mtime >= st.st_mtime) {
+	if (size && *size != (size_t)st.st_size)
+		changed = true;
+	if (mtime && *mtime != st.st_mtime)
+		changed = true;
+	if (!size && !mtime)
+		changed = true;
+
+	if (!changed) {
 		p_close(fd);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
 	if (mtime != NULL)
 		*mtime = st.st_mtime;
+	if (size != NULL)
+		*size = (size_t)st.st_size;
 
 	if (git_futils_readbuffer_fd(buf, fd, (size_t)st.st_size) < 0) {
 		p_close(fd);
@@ -188,7 +198,7 @@ int git_futils_readbuffer_updated(
 
 int git_futils_readbuffer(git_buf *buf, const char *path)
 {
-	return git_futils_readbuffer_updated(buf, path, NULL, NULL);
+	return git_futils_readbuffer_updated(buf, path, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
 int git_futils_mv_withpath(const char *from, const char *to, const mode_t dirmode)
@@ -660,3 +670,28 @@ int git_futils_cp_r(
 
 	return error;
 }
+
+int git_futils_stat_sig_needs_reload(
+	git_futils_stat_sig *sig, const char *path)
+{
+	struct stat st;
+
+	/* if the sig is NULL, then alway reload */
+	if (sig == NULL)
+		return 1;
+
+	if (p_stat(path, &st) < 0)
+		return GIT_ENOTFOUND;
+
+	if ((git_time_t)st.st_mtime == sig->seconds &&
+		(git_off_t)st.st_size == sig->size &&
+		(unsigned int)st.st_ino == sig->ino)
+		return 0;
+
+	sig->seconds = (git_time_t)st.st_mtime;
+	sig->size    = (git_off_t)st.st_size;
+	sig->ino     = (unsigned int)st.st_ino;
+
+	return 1;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/fileops.h b/src/fileops.h
index 19f7ffd54..6437ccc45 100644
--- a/src/fileops.h
+++ b/src/fileops.h
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@
  * Read whole files into an in-memory buffer for processing
  */
 extern int git_futils_readbuffer(git_buf *obj, const char *path);
-extern int git_futils_readbuffer_updated(git_buf *obj, const char *path, time_t *mtime, int *updated);
+extern int git_futils_readbuffer_updated(
+	git_buf *obj, const char *path, time_t *mtime, size_t *size, int *updated);
 extern int git_futils_readbuffer_fd(git_buf *obj, git_file fd, size_t len);
 
 /**
@@ -266,4 +267,26 @@ extern int git_futils_find_system_file(git_buf *path, const char *filename);
  */
 extern int git_futils_fake_symlink(const char *new, const char *old);
 
+
+typedef struct {
+	git_time_t seconds;
+	git_off_t  size;
+	unsigned int ino;
+} git_futils_stat_sig;
+
+/**
+ * Compare stat information for file with reference info.
+ *
+ * Use this as a way to track if a file has changed on disk.  This will
+ * return GIT_ENOTFOUND if the file doesn't exist, 0 if the file is up-to-date
+ * with regards to the signature, and 1 if the file needs to reloaded.  When
+ * a 1 is returned, the signature will also be updated with the latest data.
+ *
+ * @param sig stat signature structure
+ * @param path path to be statted
+ * @return 0 if up-to-date, 1 if out-of-date, <0 on error
+ */
+extern int git_futils_stat_sig_needs_reload(
+	git_futils_stat_sig *sig, const char *path);
+
 #endif /* INCLUDE_fileops_h__ */
diff --git a/src/index.c b/src/index.c
index 44dd93417..35cf5dd8f 100644
--- a/src/index.c
+++ b/src/index.c
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ int git_index_read(git_index *index)
 	/* We don't want to update the mtime if we fail to parse the index */
 	mtime = index->last_modified;
 	error = git_futils_readbuffer_updated(
-		&buffer, index->index_file_path, &mtime, &updated);
+		&buffer, index->index_file_path, &mtime, NULL, &updated);
 	if (error < 0)
 		return error;
 
diff --git a/src/refs.c b/src/refs.c
index 833f2fcc8..779d6080f 100644
--- a/src/refs.c
+++ b/src/refs.c
@@ -123,7 +123,8 @@ static int reference_read(
 	if (git_buf_joinpath(&path, repo_path, ref_name) < 0)
 		return -1;
 
-	result = git_futils_readbuffer_updated(file_content, path.ptr, mtime, updated);
+	result = git_futils_readbuffer_updated(
+		file_content, path.ptr, mtime, NULL, updated);
 	git_buf_free(&path);
 
 	return result;
diff --git a/tests-clar/config/refresh.c b/tests-clar/config/refresh.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..99d677f0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-clar/config/refresh.c
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#include "clar_libgit2.h"
+
+#define TEST_FILE "config.refresh"
+
+void test_config_refresh__initialize(void)
+{
+}
+
+void test_config_refresh__cleanup(void)
+{
+	cl_fixture_cleanup(TEST_FILE);
+}
+
+void test_config_refresh__update_value(void)
+{
+	git_config *cfg;
+	int32_t v;
+
+	cl_git_mkfile(TEST_FILE, "[section]\n\tvalue = 1\n\n");
+
+	/* By freeing the config, we make sure we flush the values  */
+	cl_git_pass(git_config_open_ondisk(&cfg, TEST_FILE));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_config_get_int32(&v, cfg, "section.value"));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(1, v);
+
+	cl_git_rewritefile(TEST_FILE, "[section]\n\tvalue = 10\n\n");
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_config_get_int32(&v, cfg, "section.value"));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(1, v);
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_config_refresh(cfg));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_config_get_int32(&v, cfg, "section.value"));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(10, v);
+
+	git_config_free(cfg);
+}
+
+void test_config_refresh__delete_value(void)
+{
+	git_config *cfg;
+	int32_t v;
+
+	cl_git_mkfile(TEST_FILE, "[section]\n\tvalue = 1\n\n");
+
+	/* By freeing the config, we make sure we flush the values  */
+	cl_git_pass(git_config_open_ondisk(&cfg, TEST_FILE));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_config_get_int32(&v, cfg, "section.value"));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(1, v);
+	cl_git_fail(git_config_get_int32(&v, cfg, "section.newval"));
+
+	cl_git_rewritefile(TEST_FILE, "[section]\n\tnewval = 10\n\n");
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_config_get_int32(&v, cfg, "section.value"));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(1, v);
+	cl_git_fail(git_config_get_int32(&v, cfg, "section.newval"));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_config_refresh(cfg));
+
+	cl_git_fail(git_config_get_int32(&v, cfg, "section.value"));
+	cl_git_pass(git_config_get_int32(&v, cfg, "section.newval"));
+	cl_assert_equal_i(10, v);
+
+	git_config_free(cfg);
+}