diff --git a/ref-filter.c b/ref-filter.c
index d5d5ff6a9d..5f8fc65b68 100644
--- a/ref-filter.c
+++ b/ref-filter.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "worktree.h"
 #include "hashmap.h"
 #include "argv-array.h"
+#include "format-support.h"
 
 static struct ref_msg {
 	const char *gone;
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ static struct used_atom {
 			unsigned int nobracket : 1, push : 1, push_remote : 1;
 		} remote_ref;
 		struct {
-			enum { C_BARE, C_BODY, C_BODY_DEP, C_LINES, C_SIG, C_SUB, C_TRAILERS } option;
+			enum { C_BARE, C_BODY, C_BODY_DEP, C_LINES, C_SIG, C_SUB, C_SUB_SANITIZE, C_TRAILERS } option;
 			struct process_trailer_options trailer_opts;
 			unsigned int nlines;
 		} contents;
@@ -301,8 +302,14 @@ static int body_atom_parser(const struct ref_format *format, struct used_atom *a
 static int subject_atom_parser(const struct ref_format *format, struct used_atom *atom,
 			       const char *arg, struct strbuf *err)
 {
-	if (arg)
-		return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("%%(subject) does not take arguments"));
+	if (arg) {
+		if (!strcmp(arg, "sanitize")) {
+			atom->u.contents.option = C_SUB_SANITIZE;
+			return 0;
+		} else {
+			return strbuf_addf_ret(err, -1, _("unrecognized %%(subject) argument: %s"), arg);
+		}
+	}
 	atom->u.contents.option = C_SUB;
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1266,11 +1273,13 @@ static void grab_sub_body_contents(struct atom_value *val, int deref, void *buf)
 		struct used_atom *atom = &used_atom[i];
 		const char *name = atom->name;
 		struct atom_value *v = &val[i];
+
 		if (!!deref != (*name == '*'))
 			continue;
 		if (deref)
 			name++;
 		if (strcmp(name, "subject") &&
+		    strcmp(name, "subject:sanitize") &&
 		    strcmp(name, "body") &&
 		    !starts_with(name, "trailers") &&
 		    !starts_with(name, "contents"))
@@ -1283,7 +1292,11 @@ static void grab_sub_body_contents(struct atom_value *val, int deref, void *buf)
 
 		if (atom->u.contents.option == C_SUB)
 			v->s = copy_subject(subpos, sublen);
-		else if (atom->u.contents.option == C_BODY_DEP)
+		else if (atom->u.contents.option == C_SUB_SANITIZE) {
+			struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
+			format_sanitized_subject(&sb, subpos, sublen);
+			v->s = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
+		} else if (atom->u.contents.option == C_BODY_DEP)
 			v->s = xmemdupz(bodypos, bodylen);
 		else if (atom->u.contents.option == C_BODY)
 			v->s = xmemdupz(bodypos, nonsiglen);
diff --git a/t/t6300-for-each-ref.sh b/t/t6300-for-each-ref.sh
index 533827d297..e2dd410356 100755
--- a/t/t6300-for-each-ref.sh
+++ b/t/t6300-for-each-ref.sh
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ test_atom head taggerdate ''
 test_atom head creator 'C O Mitter <committer@example.com> 1151968723 +0200'
 test_atom head creatordate 'Tue Jul 4 01:18:43 2006 +0200'
 test_atom head subject 'Initial'
+test_atom head subject:sanitize 'Initial'
 test_atom head contents:subject 'Initial'
 test_atom head body ''
 test_atom head contents:body ''
@@ -180,6 +181,7 @@ test_atom tag taggerdate 'Tue Jul 4 01:18:45 2006 +0200'
 test_atom tag creator 'C O Mitter <committer@example.com> 1151968725 +0200'
 test_atom tag creatordate 'Tue Jul 4 01:18:45 2006 +0200'
 test_atom tag subject 'Tagging at 1151968727'
+test_atom tag subject:sanitize 'Tagging-at-1151968727'
 test_atom tag contents:subject 'Tagging at 1151968727'
 test_atom tag body ''
 test_atom tag contents:body ''
@@ -592,6 +594,7 @@ test_expect_success 'create tag with subject and body content' '
 	git tag -F msg subject-body
 '
 test_atom refs/tags/subject-body subject 'the subject line'
+test_atom refs/tags/subject-body subject:sanitize 'the-subject-line'
 test_atom refs/tags/subject-body body 'first body line
 second body line
 '
@@ -612,6 +615,7 @@ test_expect_success 'create tag with multiline subject' '
 	git tag -F msg multiline
 '
 test_atom refs/tags/multiline subject 'first subject line second subject line'
+test_atom refs/tags/multiline subject:sanitize 'first-subject-line-second-subject-line'
 test_atom refs/tags/multiline contents:subject 'first subject line second subject line'
 test_atom refs/tags/multiline body 'first body line
 second body line
@@ -644,6 +648,7 @@ sig='-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
 
 PREREQ=GPG
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-empty subject ''
+test_atom refs/tags/signed-empty subject:sanitize ''
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-empty contents:subject ''
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-empty body "$sig"
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-empty contents:body ''
@@ -651,6 +656,7 @@ test_atom refs/tags/signed-empty contents:signature "$sig"
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-empty contents "$sig"
 
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-short subject 'subject line'
+test_atom refs/tags/signed-short subject:sanitize 'subject-line'
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-short contents:subject 'subject line'
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-short body "$sig"
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-short contents:body ''
@@ -659,6 +665,7 @@ test_atom refs/tags/signed-short contents "subject line
 $sig"
 
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-long subject 'subject line'
+test_atom refs/tags/signed-long subject:sanitize 'subject-line'
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-long contents:subject 'subject line'
 test_atom refs/tags/signed-long body "body contents
 $sig"
