diff --git a/hook.c b/hook.c
index fde1f88ce8..cde7198412 100644
--- a/hook.c
+++ b/hook.c
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ int run_hooks_opt(struct repository *r, const char *hook_name,
 		.tr2_category = "hook",
 		.tr2_label = hook_name,
 
-		.processes = 1,
-		.ungroup = 1,
+		.processes = options->jobs,
+		.ungroup = options->jobs == 1,
 
 		.get_next_task = pick_next_hook,
 		.start_failure = notify_start_failure,
@@ -169,6 +169,9 @@ int run_hooks_opt(struct repository *r, const char *hook_name,
 	if (options->path_to_stdin && options->feed_pipe)
 		BUG("options path_to_stdin and feed_pipe are mutually exclusive");
 
+	if (!options->jobs)
+		BUG("run_hooks_opt must be called with options.jobs >= 1");
+
 	if (options->invoked_hook)
 		*options->invoked_hook = 0;
 
diff --git a/hook.h b/hook.h
index 2c8a23a569..20eb56fd63 100644
--- a/hook.h
+++ b/hook.h
@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@ struct run_hooks_opt
 	/* Emit an error if the hook is missing */
 	unsigned int error_if_missing:1;
 
+	/**
+	 *  Number of processes to parallelize across.
+	 *
+	 * If > 1, output will be buffered and de-interleaved (ungroup=0).
+	 * If == 1, output will be real-time (ungroup=1).
+	 */
+	unsigned int jobs;
+
 	/**
 	 * An optional initial working directory for the hook,
 	 * translates to "struct child_process"'s "dir" member.
@@ -90,6 +98,7 @@ struct run_hooks_opt
 	.env = STRVEC_INIT, \
 	.args = STRVEC_INIT, \
 	.stdout_to_stderr = 1, \
+	.jobs = 1, \
 }
 
 struct hook_cb_data {