diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 36fa094462..456681b27c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ all:
 # Define NO_SYMLINK_HEAD if you never want .git/HEAD to be a symbolic link.
 # Enable it on Windows.  By default, symrefs are still used.
 #
+# Define NO_HARDLINKS if you want to disable hard linking in git clone.
+# Enable it on Windows.
+#
 # Define NO_SVN_TESTS if you want to skip time-consuming SVN interoperability
 # tests.  These tests take up a significant amount of the total test time
 # but are not needed unless you plan to talk to SVN repos.
@@ -482,6 +485,7 @@ ifneq (,$(findstring MINGW,$(uname_S)))
 	NO_PREAD=YesPlease
 	NO_OPENSSL=YesPlease
 	NO_SYMLINK_HEAD=YesPlease
+	NO_HARDLINKS=YesPlease
 	NO_IPV6=YesPlease
 	NO_ETC_PASSWD=YesPlease
 	NO_SETENV=YesPlease
@@ -724,6 +728,10 @@ ifdef ASCIIDOC8
 	export ASCIIDOC8
 endif
 
+ifdef NO_HARDLINKS
+	export NO_HARDLINKS
+endif
+
 # Shell quote (do not use $(call) to accommodate ancient setups);
 
 SHA1_HEADER_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(SHA1_HEADER))
@@ -799,6 +807,7 @@ $(patsubst %.sh,%,$(SCRIPT_SH)) : % : %.sh
 	    -e 's|@@PERL@@|$(PERL_PATH_SQ)|g' \
 	    -e 's/@@GIT_VERSION@@/$(GIT_VERSION)/g' \
 	    -e 's/@@NO_CURL@@/$(NO_CURL)/g' \
+	    -e 's/@@NO_HARDLINKS@@/$(NO_HARDLINKS)/g' \
 	    $@.sh >$@+ && \
 	chmod +x $@+ && \
 	mv $@+ $@
diff --git a/git-clone.sh b/git-clone.sh
index 2c0164aafe..72435b03aa 100644
--- a/git-clone.sh
+++ b/git-clone.sh
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ origin_override=
 use_separate_remote=t
 depth=
 no_progress=
+test "@@NO_HARDLINKS@@" && use_local_hardlink=no
 test -t 1 || no_progress=--no-progress
 while
 	case "$#,$1" in
@@ -109,7 +110,9 @@ while
 	*,--na|*,--nak|*,--nake|*,--naked|\
 	*,-b|*,--b|*,--ba|*,--bar|*,--bare) bare=yes ;;
 	*,-l|*,--l|*,--lo|*,--loc|*,--loca|*,--local)
-	  use_local_hardlink=yes ;;
+	  (test "@@NO_HARDLINKS@@" &&
+	    echo >&2 "Warning: -l asked but hardlinks are not supported") ||
+	    use_local_hardlink=yes ;;
 	*,--no-h|*,--no-ha|*,--no-har|*,--no-hard|*,--no-hardl|\
 	*,--no-hardli|*,--no-hardlin|*,--no-hardlink|*,--no-hardlinks)
 	  use_local_hardlink=no ;;
diff --git a/t/Makefile b/t/Makefile
index f8e396c108..2b808f96bb 100644
--- a/t/Makefile
+++ b/t/Makefile
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ ifdef NO_SYMLINKS
 	GIT_TEST_OPTS += --no-symlinks
 endif
 
+ifdef NO_HARDLINKS
+	GIT_TEST_OPTS += --no-hardlinks
+endif
+
 all: $(T) clean
 
 $(T):
diff --git a/t/t5701-clone-local.sh b/t/t5701-clone-local.sh
index a3026ec4fc..d2f55ebfbc 100755
--- a/t/t5701-clone-local.sh
+++ b/t/t5701-clone-local.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@
 test_description='test local clone'
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
+if test "$no_hardlinks"
+then
+    say 'Hard links not supported, skipping tests.'
+    test_done
+    exit
+fi
+
 D=`pwd`
 
 test_expect_success 'preparing origin repository' '
diff --git a/t/test-lib.sh b/t/test-lib.sh
index 6081d172ab..143d95daca 100644
--- a/t/test-lib.sh
+++ b/t/test-lib.sh
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ do
 		shift ;;
 	--no-symlinks)
 		no_symlinks=t; shift ;;
+	--no-hardlinks)
+		no_hardlinks=t; shift ;;
 	*)
 		break ;;
 	esac