diff --git a/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt b/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt
index 80ddd33ceb..7c4bb38a2f 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt
@@ -181,6 +181,17 @@ OPTIONS
 	`maintenance.<task>.enabled` configured as `true` are considered.
 	See the 'TASKS' section for the list of accepted `<task>` values.
 
+--scheduler=auto|crontab|launchctl|schtasks::
+	When combined with the `start` subcommand, specify the scheduler
+	to use to run the hourly, daily and weekly executions of
+	`git maintenance run`.
+	The possible values for `<scheduler>` depend on the system: `crontab`
+	is available on POSIX systems, `launchctl` is available on
+	MacOS and `schtasks` is available on Windows.
+	By default or when `auto` is specified, a suitable scheduler for
+	the system is used. On MacOS, `launchctl` is used. On Windows,
+	`schtasks` is used. On all other systems, `crontab` is used.
+
 
 TROUBLESHOOTING
 ---------------
diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index 0caf8d45c4..bf21cec059 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -1544,6 +1544,60 @@ static const char *get_frequency(enum schedule_priority schedule)
 	}
 }
 
+static int get_schedule_cmd(const char **cmd, int *is_available)
+{
+	char *item;
+	static char test_cmd[32];
+	char *testing = xstrdup_or_null(getenv("GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER"));
+
+	if (!testing)
+		return 0;
+
+	if (is_available)
+		*is_available = 0;
+
+	for(item = testing;;) {
+		char *sep;
+		char *end_item = strchr(item, ',');
+		if (end_item)
+			*end_item = '\0';
+
+		sep = strchr(item, ':');
+		if (!sep)
+			die("GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER unparseable: %s", testing);
+		*sep = '\0';
+
+		if (!strcmp(*cmd, item)) {
+			strlcpy(test_cmd, sep+1, ARRAY_SIZE(test_cmd));
+			*cmd = test_cmd;
+			if (is_available)
+				*is_available = 1;
+			break;
+		}
+
+		if (!end_item)
+			break;
+		item = end_item + 1;
+	}
+
+	free(testing);
+	return 1;
+}
+
+static int is_launchctl_available(void)
+{
+	const char *cmd = "launchctl";
+	int is_available;
+	if (get_schedule_cmd(&cmd, &is_available))
+		return is_available;
+
+#ifdef __APPLE__
+	return 1;
+#else
+	return 0;
+#endif
+}
+
 static char *launchctl_service_name(const char *frequency)
 {
 	struct strbuf label = STRBUF_INIT;
@@ -1576,12 +1630,14 @@ enum enable_or_disable {
 };
 
 static int launchctl_boot_plist(enum enable_or_disable enable,
-				const char *filename, const char *cmd)
+				const char *filename)
 {
+	const char *cmd = "launchctl";
 	int result;
 	struct child_process child = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	char *uid = launchctl_get_uid();
 
+	get_schedule_cmd(&cmd, NULL);
 	strvec_split(&child.args, cmd);
 	strvec_pushl(&child.args, enable == ENABLE ? "bootstrap" : "bootout",
 		     uid, filename, NULL);
@@ -1598,26 +1654,26 @@ static int launchctl_boot_plist(enum enable_or_disable enable,
 	return result;
 }
 
-static int launchctl_remove_plist(enum schedule_priority schedule, const char *cmd)
+static int launchctl_remove_plist(enum schedule_priority schedule)
 {
 	const char *frequency = get_frequency(schedule);
 	char *name = launchctl_service_name(frequency);
 	char *filename = launchctl_service_filename(name);
-	int result = launchctl_boot_plist(DISABLE, filename, cmd);
+	int result = launchctl_boot_plist(DISABLE, filename);
 	unlink(filename);
 	free(filename);
 	free(name);
 	return result;
 }
 
-static int launchctl_remove_plists(const char *cmd)
+static int launchctl_remove_plists(void)
 {
-	return launchctl_remove_plist(SCHEDULE_HOURLY, cmd) ||
-		launchctl_remove_plist(SCHEDULE_DAILY, cmd) ||
-		launchctl_remove_plist(SCHEDULE_WEEKLY, cmd);
+	return launchctl_remove_plist(SCHEDULE_HOURLY) ||
+		launchctl_remove_plist(SCHEDULE_DAILY) ||
+		launchctl_remove_plist(SCHEDULE_WEEKLY);
 }
 
-static int launchctl_schedule_plist(const char *exec_path, enum schedule_priority schedule, const char *cmd)
+static int launchctl_schedule_plist(const char *exec_path, enum schedule_priority schedule)
 {
 	FILE *plist;
 	int i;
@@ -1686,8 +1742,8 @@ static int launchctl_schedule_plist(const char *exec_path, enum schedule_priorit
 	fclose(plist);
 
 	/* bootout might fail if not already running, so ignore */
-	launchctl_boot_plist(DISABLE, filename, cmd);
-	if (launchctl_boot_plist(ENABLE, filename, cmd))
+	launchctl_boot_plist(DISABLE, filename);
+	if (launchctl_boot_plist(ENABLE, filename))
 		die(_("failed to bootstrap service %s"), filename);
 
 	free(filename);
@@ -1695,28 +1751,42 @@ static int launchctl_schedule_plist(const char *exec_path, enum schedule_priorit
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int launchctl_add_plists(const char *cmd)
+static int launchctl_add_plists(void)
 {
 	const char *exec_path = git_exec_path();
 
-	return launchctl_schedule_plist(exec_path, SCHEDULE_HOURLY, cmd) ||
-		launchctl_schedule_plist(exec_path, SCHEDULE_DAILY, cmd) ||
-		launchctl_schedule_plist(exec_path, SCHEDULE_WEEKLY, cmd);
+	return launchctl_schedule_plist(exec_path, SCHEDULE_HOURLY) ||
+		launchctl_schedule_plist(exec_path, SCHEDULE_DAILY) ||
+		launchctl_schedule_plist(exec_path, SCHEDULE_WEEKLY);
 }
 
 static int launchctl_update_schedule(enum enable_or_disable run_maintenance,
-				     int fd, const char *cmd)
+				     int fd)
 {
 	switch (run_maintenance) {
 	case ENABLE:
-		return launchctl_add_plists(cmd);
+		return launchctl_add_plists();
 	case DISABLE:
-		return launchctl_remove_plists(cmd);
+		return launchctl_remove_plists();
 	default:
 		BUG("invalid enable_or_disable value");
 	}
 }
 
+static int is_schtasks_available(void)
+{
+	const char *cmd = "schtasks";
+	int is_available;
+	if (get_schedule_cmd(&cmd, &is_available))
+		return is_available;
+
+#ifdef GIT_WINDOWS_NATIVE
+	return 1;
+#else
+	return 0;
+#endif
+}
+
 static char *schtasks_task_name(const char *frequency)
 {
 	struct strbuf label = STRBUF_INIT;
@@ -1724,13 +1794,15 @@ static char *schtasks_task_name(const char *frequency)
 	return strbuf_detach(&label, NULL);
 }
 
-static int schtasks_remove_task(enum schedule_priority schedule, const char *cmd)
+static int schtasks_remove_task(enum schedule_priority schedule)
 {
+	const char *cmd = "schtasks";
 	int result;
 	struct strvec args = STRVEC_INIT;
 	const char *frequency = get_frequency(schedule);
 	char *name = schtasks_task_name(frequency);
 
+	get_schedule_cmd(&cmd, NULL);
 	strvec_split(&args, cmd);
 	strvec_pushl(&args, "/delete", "/tn", name, "/f", NULL);
 
@@ -1741,15 +1813,16 @@ static int schtasks_remove_task(enum schedule_priority schedule, const char *cmd
 	return result;
 }
 
-static int schtasks_remove_tasks(const char *cmd)
+static int schtasks_remove_tasks(void)
 {
-	return schtasks_remove_task(SCHEDULE_HOURLY, cmd) ||
-		schtasks_remove_task(SCHEDULE_DAILY, cmd) ||
-		schtasks_remove_task(SCHEDULE_WEEKLY, cmd);
+	return schtasks_remove_task(SCHEDULE_HOURLY) ||
+		schtasks_remove_task(SCHEDULE_DAILY) ||
+		schtasks_remove_task(SCHEDULE_WEEKLY);
 }
 
-static int schtasks_schedule_task(const char *exec_path, enum schedule_priority schedule, const char *cmd)
+static int schtasks_schedule_task(const char *exec_path, enum schedule_priority schedule)
 {
+	const char *cmd = "schtasks";
 	int result;
 	struct child_process child = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	const char *xml;
@@ -1758,6 +1831,8 @@ static int schtasks_schedule_task(const char *exec_path, enum schedule_priority
 	char *name = schtasks_task_name(frequency);
 	struct strbuf tfilename = STRBUF_INIT;
 
+	get_schedule_cmd(&cmd, NULL);
+
 	strbuf_addf(&tfilename, "%s/schedule_%s_XXXXXX",
 		    get_git_common_dir(), frequency);
 	tfile = xmks_tempfile(tfilename.buf);
@@ -1862,34 +1937,65 @@ static int schtasks_schedule_task(const char *exec_path, enum schedule_priority
 	return result;
 }
 
-static int schtasks_schedule_tasks(const char *cmd)
+static int schtasks_schedule_tasks(void)
 {
 	const char *exec_path = git_exec_path();
 
-	return schtasks_schedule_task(exec_path, SCHEDULE_HOURLY, cmd) ||
-		schtasks_schedule_task(exec_path, SCHEDULE_DAILY, cmd) ||
-		schtasks_schedule_task(exec_path, SCHEDULE_WEEKLY, cmd);
+	return schtasks_schedule_task(exec_path, SCHEDULE_HOURLY) ||
+		schtasks_schedule_task(exec_path, SCHEDULE_DAILY) ||
+		schtasks_schedule_task(exec_path, SCHEDULE_WEEKLY);
 }
 
 static int schtasks_update_schedule(enum enable_or_disable run_maintenance,
-				    int fd, const char *cmd)
+				    int fd)
 {
 	switch (run_maintenance) {
 	case ENABLE:
-		return schtasks_schedule_tasks(cmd);
+		return schtasks_schedule_tasks();
 	case DISABLE:
-		return schtasks_remove_tasks(cmd);
+		return schtasks_remove_tasks();
 	default:
 		BUG("invalid enable_or_disable value");
 	}
 }
 
+static int is_crontab_available(void)
+{
+	const char *cmd = "crontab";
+	int is_available;
+	static int cached_result = -1;
+	struct child_process child = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
+
+	if (cached_result != -1)
+		return cached_result;
+
+	if (get_schedule_cmd(&cmd, &is_available) && !is_available)
+		return 0;
+
+	strvec_split(&child.args, cmd);
+	strvec_push(&child.args, "-l");
+	child.no_stdin = 1;
+	child.no_stdout = 1;
+	child.no_stderr = 1;
+	child.silent_exec_failure = 1;
+
+	if (start_command(&child)) {
+		cached_result = 0;
+		return cached_result;
+	}
+	/* Ignore exit code, as an empty crontab will return error. */
+	finish_command(&child);
+	cached_result = 1;
+	return cached_result;
+}
+
 #define BEGIN_LINE "# BEGIN GIT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE"
 #define END_LINE "# END GIT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE"
 
 static int crontab_update_schedule(enum enable_or_disable run_maintenance,
-				   int fd, const char *cmd)
+				   int fd)
 {
+	const char *cmd = "crontab";
 	int result = 0;
 	int in_old_region = 0;
 	struct child_process crontab_list = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
@@ -1897,6 +2003,7 @@ static int crontab_update_schedule(enum enable_or_disable run_maintenance,
 	FILE *cron_list, *cron_in;
 	struct strbuf line = STRBUF_INIT;
 
+	get_schedule_cmd(&cmd, NULL);
 	strvec_split(&crontab_list.args, cmd);
 	strvec_push(&crontab_list.args, "-l");
 	crontab_list.in = -1;
@@ -1972,61 +2079,161 @@ static int crontab_update_schedule(enum enable_or_disable run_maintenance,
 	return result;
 }
 
+enum scheduler {
+	SCHEDULER_INVALID = -1,
+	SCHEDULER_AUTO,
+	SCHEDULER_CRON,
+	SCHEDULER_LAUNCHCTL,
+	SCHEDULER_SCHTASKS,
+};
+
+static const struct {
+	const char *name;
+	int (*is_available)(void);
+	int (*update_schedule)(enum enable_or_disable run_maintenance, int fd);
+} scheduler_fn[] = {
+	[SCHEDULER_CRON] = {
+		.name = "crontab",
+		.is_available = is_crontab_available,
+		.update_schedule = crontab_update_schedule,
+	},
+	[SCHEDULER_LAUNCHCTL] = {
+		.name = "launchctl",
+		.is_available = is_launchctl_available,
+		.update_schedule = launchctl_update_schedule,
+	},
+	[SCHEDULER_SCHTASKS] = {
+		.name = "schtasks",
+		.is_available = is_schtasks_available,
+		.update_schedule = schtasks_update_schedule,
+	},
+};
+
+static enum scheduler parse_scheduler(const char *value)
+{
+	if (!value)
+		return SCHEDULER_INVALID;
+	else if (!strcasecmp(value, "auto"))
+		return SCHEDULER_AUTO;
+	else if (!strcasecmp(value, "cron") || !strcasecmp(value, "crontab"))
+		return SCHEDULER_CRON;
+	else if (!strcasecmp(value, "launchctl"))
+		return SCHEDULER_LAUNCHCTL;
+	else if (!strcasecmp(value, "schtasks"))
+		return SCHEDULER_SCHTASKS;
+	else
+		return SCHEDULER_INVALID;
+}
+
+static int maintenance_opt_scheduler(const struct option *opt, const char *arg,
+				     int unset)
+{
+	enum scheduler *scheduler = opt->value;
+
+	BUG_ON_OPT_NEG(unset);
+
+	*scheduler = parse_scheduler(arg);
+	if (*scheduler == SCHEDULER_INVALID)
+		return error(_("unrecognized --scheduler argument '%s'"), arg);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+struct maintenance_start_opts {
+	enum scheduler scheduler;
+};
+
+static void resolve_auto_scheduler(enum scheduler *scheduler)
+{
+	if (*scheduler != SCHEDULER_AUTO)
+		return;
+
 #if defined(__APPLE__)
-static const char platform_scheduler[] = "launchctl";
+	*scheduler = SCHEDULER_LAUNCHCTL;
+	return;
+
 #elif defined(GIT_WINDOWS_NATIVE)
-static const char platform_scheduler[] = "schtasks";
+	*scheduler = SCHEDULER_SCHTASKS;
+	return;
+
 #else
-static const char platform_scheduler[] = "crontab";
+	*scheduler = SCHEDULER_CRON;
+	return;
 #endif
+}
 
-static int update_background_schedule(int enable)
+static void validate_scheduler(enum scheduler scheduler)
 {
-	int result;
-	const char *scheduler = platform_scheduler;
-	const char *cmd = scheduler;
-	char *testing;
+	if (scheduler == SCHEDULER_INVALID)
+		BUG("invalid scheduler");
+	if (scheduler == SCHEDULER_AUTO)
+		BUG("resolve_auto_scheduler should have been called before");
+
+	if (!scheduler_fn[scheduler].is_available())
+		die(_("%s scheduler is not available"),
+		    scheduler_fn[scheduler].name);
+}
+
+static int update_background_schedule(const struct maintenance_start_opts *opts,
+				      enum enable_or_disable enable)
+{
+	unsigned int i;
+	int res, result = 0;
 	struct lock_file lk;
 	char *lock_path = xstrfmt("%s/schedule", the_repository->objects->odb->path);
 
-	testing = xstrdup_or_null(getenv("GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER"));
-	if (testing) {
-		char *sep = strchr(testing, ':');
-		if (!sep)
-			die("GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER unparseable: %s", testing);
-		*sep = '\0';
-		scheduler = testing;
-		cmd = sep + 1;
-	}
-
 	if (hold_lock_file_for_update(&lk, lock_path, LOCK_NO_DEREF) < 0)
 		return error(_("another process is scheduling background maintenance"));
 
-	if (!strcmp(scheduler, "launchctl"))
-		result = launchctl_update_schedule(enable, get_lock_file_fd(&lk), cmd);
-	else if (!strcmp(scheduler, "schtasks"))
-		result = schtasks_update_schedule(enable, get_lock_file_fd(&lk), cmd);
-	else if (!strcmp(scheduler, "crontab"))
-		result = crontab_update_schedule(enable, get_lock_file_fd(&lk), cmd);
-	else
-		die("unknown background scheduler: %s", scheduler);
+	for (i = 1; i < ARRAY_SIZE(scheduler_fn); i++) {
+		enum enable_or_disable enable_scheduler =
+			(enable == ENABLE && (opts->scheduler == i)) ?
+			ENABLE : DISABLE;
+		if (!scheduler_fn[i].is_available())
+			continue;
+		res = scheduler_fn[i].update_schedule(
+			enable_scheduler, get_lock_file_fd(&lk));
+		if (enable_scheduler)
+			result = res;
+	}
 
 	rollback_lock_file(&lk);
-	free(testing);
 	return result;
 }
 
-static int maintenance_start(void)
+static const char *const builtin_maintenance_start_usage[] = {
+	N_("git maintenance start [--scheduler=<scheduler>]"), NULL
+};
+
+static int maintenance_start(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
+	struct maintenance_start_opts opts;
+	struct option builtin_maintenance_start_options[] = {
+		OPT_CALLBACK_F(
+			0, "scheduler", &opts.scheduler, N_("scheduler"),
+			N_("scheduler to use to trigger git maintenance run"),
+			PARSE_OPT_NONEG, maintenance_opt_scheduler),
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+	memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix,
+			     builtin_maintenance_start_options,
+			     builtin_maintenance_start_usage, 0);
+	if (argc)
+		usage_with_options(builtin_maintenance_start_usage,
+				   builtin_maintenance_start_options);
+
+	resolve_auto_scheduler(&opts.scheduler);
+	validate_scheduler(opts.scheduler);
+
 	if (maintenance_register())
 		warning(_("failed to add repo to global config"));
-
-	return update_background_schedule(1);
+	return update_background_schedule(&opts, 1);
 }
 
 static int maintenance_stop(void)
 {
-	return update_background_schedule(0);
+	return update_background_schedule(NULL, 0);
 }
 
 static const char builtin_maintenance_usage[] =	N_("git maintenance <subcommand> [<options>]");
@@ -2040,7 +2247,7 @@ int cmd_maintenance(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "run"))
 		return maintenance_run(argc - 1, argv + 1, prefix);
 	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "start"))
-		return maintenance_start();
+		return maintenance_start(argc - 1, argv + 1, prefix);
 	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "stop"))
 		return maintenance_stop();
 	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "register"))
diff --git a/t/t7900-maintenance.sh b/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
index 2412d8c5c0..9eac260307 100755
--- a/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
+++ b/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
@@ -488,8 +488,21 @@ test_expect_success !MINGW 'register and unregister with regex metacharacters' '
 		maintenance.repo "$(pwd)/$META"
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'start --scheduler=<scheduler>' '
+	test_expect_code 129 git maintenance start --scheduler=foo 2>err &&
+	test_i18ngrep "unrecognized --scheduler argument" err &&
+
+	test_expect_code 129 git maintenance start --no-scheduler 2>err &&
+	test_i18ngrep "unknown option" err &&
+
+	test_expect_code 128 \
+		env GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="launchctl:true,schtasks:true" \
+		git maintenance start --scheduler=crontab 2>err &&
+	test_i18ngrep "fatal: crontab scheduler is not available" err
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'start from empty cron table' '
-	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="crontab:test-tool crontab cron.txt" git maintenance start &&
+	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="crontab:test-tool crontab cron.txt" git maintenance start --scheduler=crontab &&
 
 	# start registers the repo
 	git config --get --global --fixed-value maintenance.repo "$(pwd)" &&
@@ -512,7 +525,7 @@ test_expect_success 'stop from existing schedule' '
 
 test_expect_success 'start preserves existing schedule' '
 	echo "Important information!" >cron.txt &&
-	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="crontab:test-tool crontab cron.txt" git maintenance start &&
+	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="crontab:test-tool crontab cron.txt" git maintenance start --scheduler=crontab &&
 	grep "Important information!" cron.txt
 '
 
@@ -541,7 +554,7 @@ test_expect_success 'start and stop macOS maintenance' '
 	EOF
 
 	rm -f args &&
-	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER=launchctl:./print-args git maintenance start &&
+	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER=launchctl:./print-args git maintenance start --scheduler=launchctl &&
 
 	# start registers the repo
 	git config --get --global --fixed-value maintenance.repo "$(pwd)" &&
@@ -592,7 +605,7 @@ test_expect_success 'start and stop Windows maintenance' '
 	EOF
 
 	rm -f args &&
-	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="schtasks:./print-args" git maintenance start &&
+	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="schtasks:./print-args" git maintenance start --scheduler=schtasks &&
 
 	# start registers the repo
 	git config --get --global --fixed-value maintenance.repo "$(pwd)" &&
@@ -615,6 +628,41 @@ test_expect_success 'start and stop Windows maintenance' '
 	test_cmp expect args
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'start and stop when several schedulers are available' '
+	write_script print-args <<-\EOF &&
+	printf "%s\n" "$*" | sed "s:gui/[0-9][0-9]*:gui/[UID]:; s:\(schtasks /create .* /xml\).*:\1:;" >>args
+	EOF
+
+	rm -f args &&
+	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="launchctl:./print-args launchctl,schtasks:./print-args schtasks" git maintenance start --scheduler=launchctl &&
+	rm -f expect &&
+	for frequency in hourly daily weekly
+	do
+		PLIST="$pfx/Library/LaunchAgents/org.git-scm.git.$frequency.plist" &&
+		echo "launchctl bootout gui/[UID] $PLIST" >>expect &&
+		echo "launchctl bootstrap gui/[UID] $PLIST" >>expect || return 1
+	done &&
+	printf "schtasks /delete /tn Git Maintenance (%s) /f\n" \
+		hourly daily weekly >>expect &&
+	test_cmp expect args &&
+
+	rm -f args &&
+	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="launchctl:./print-args launchctl,schtasks:./print-args schtasks" git maintenance start --scheduler=schtasks &&
+	printf "launchctl bootout gui/[UID] $pfx/Library/LaunchAgents/org.git-scm.git.%s.plist\n" \
+		hourly daily weekly >expect &&
+	printf "schtasks /create /tn Git Maintenance (%s) /f /xml\n" \
+		hourly daily weekly >>expect &&
+	test_cmp expect args &&
+
+	rm -f args &&
+	GIT_TEST_MAINT_SCHEDULER="launchctl:./print-args launchctl,schtasks:./print-args schtasks" git maintenance stop &&
+	printf "launchctl bootout gui/[UID] $pfx/Library/LaunchAgents/org.git-scm.git.%s.plist\n" \
+		hourly daily weekly >expect &&
+	printf "schtasks /delete /tn Git Maintenance (%s) /f\n" \
+		hourly daily weekly >>expect &&
+	test_cmp expect args
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'register preserves existing strategy' '
 	git config maintenance.strategy none &&
 	git maintenance register &&
