diff --git a/Documentation/config/feature.txt b/Documentation/config/feature.txt
index c2d9ef7473..287621b1e8 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/feature.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config/feature.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,23 @@ feature.*::
 	developer community as recommended defaults and are subject to change.
 	In particular, new config options may be added with different defaults.
 
+feature.experimental::
+	Enable config options that are new to Git, and are being considered for
+	future defaults. Config settings included here may be added or removed
+	with each release, including minor version updates. These settings may
+	have unintended interactions since they are so new. Please enable this
+	setting if you are interested in providing feedback on experimental
+	features. The new default values are:
++
+* `pack.useSparse=true` uses a new algorithm when constructing a pack-file
+which can improve `git push` performance in repos with many files.
++
+* `merge.directoryRenames=true` uses a new algorithm for detecting renames by
+using entire directories at a time instead of single files at a time.
++
+* `fetch.negotiationAlgorithm=skipping` may improve fetch negotiation times by
+skipping more commits at a time, reducing the number of round trips.
+
 feature.manyCommits::
 	Enable config options that optimize for repos with many commits. This
 	setting is recommended for repos with at least 100,000 commits. The
diff --git a/Documentation/config/fetch.txt b/Documentation/config/fetch.txt
index ba890b5884..d402110638 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/fetch.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config/fetch.txt
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ fetch.negotiationAlgorithm::
 	effort to converge faster, but may result in a larger-than-necessary
 	packfile; The default is "default" which instructs Git to use the default algorithm
 	that never skips commits (unless the server has acknowledged it or one
-	of its descendants).
+	of its descendants). If `feature.experimental` is enabled, then this
+	setting defaults to "skipping".
 	Unknown values will cause 'git fetch' to error out.
 +
 See also the `--negotiation-tip` option for linkgit:git-fetch[1].
diff --git a/Documentation/config/merge.txt b/Documentation/config/merge.txt
index 6a313937f8..e8def2d63c 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/merge.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config/merge.txt
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ merge.directoryRenames::
 	moved into the new directory.  If set to "conflict", a conflict
 	will be reported for such paths.  If merge.renames is false,
 	merge.directoryRenames is ignored and treated as false.  Defaults
-	to "conflict".
+	to "conflict" unless `feature.experimental` is enabled and the
+	default is "true".
 
 merge.renormalize::
 	Tell Git that canonical representation of files in the
diff --git a/Documentation/config/pack.txt b/Documentation/config/pack.txt
index 9cdcfa7324..1d66f0c992 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/pack.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config/pack.txt
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ pack.useSparse::
 	objects. This can have significant performance benefits when
 	computing a pack to send a small change. However, it is possible
 	that extra objects are added to the pack-file if the included
-	commits contain certain types of direct renames.
+	commits contain certain types of direct renames. Default is `false`
+	unless `feature.experimental` is enabled.
 
 pack.writeBitmaps (deprecated)::
 	This is a deprecated synonym for `repack.writeBitmaps`.
diff --git a/builtin/am.c b/builtin/am.c
index 1aea657a7f..912c6155b8 100644
--- a/builtin/am.c
+++ b/builtin/am.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "string-list.h"
 #include "packfile.h"
 #include "repository.h"
+#include "repo-settings.h"
 
 /**
  * Returns the length of the first line of msg.
diff --git a/fetch-negotiator.c b/fetch-negotiator.c
index d6d685cba0..1a68be1a2e 100644
--- a/fetch-negotiator.c
+++ b/fetch-negotiator.c
@@ -2,19 +2,21 @@
 #include "fetch-negotiator.h"
 #include "negotiator/default.h"
 #include "negotiator/skipping.h"
+#include "repository.h"
+#include "repo-settings.h"
 
-void fetch_negotiator_init(struct fetch_negotiator *negotiator,
-			   const char *algorithm)
+void fetch_negotiator_init(struct repository *r,
+			   struct fetch_negotiator *negotiator)
 {
-	if (algorithm) {
-		if (!strcmp(algorithm, "skipping")) {
-			skipping_negotiator_init(negotiator);
-			return;
-		} else if (!strcmp(algorithm, "default")) {
-			/* Fall through to default initialization */
-		} else {
-			die("unknown fetch negotiation algorithm '%s'", algorithm);
-		}
+	prepare_repo_settings(r);
+	switch(r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm) {
+	case FETCH_NEGOTIATION_SKIPPING:
+		skipping_negotiator_init(negotiator);
+		return;
+
+	case FETCH_NEGOTIATION_DEFAULT:
+	default:
+		default_negotiator_init(negotiator);
+		return;
 	}
-	default_negotiator_init(negotiator);
 }
diff --git a/fetch-negotiator.h b/fetch-negotiator.h
index 9e3967ce66..ea78868504 100644
--- a/fetch-negotiator.h
+++ b/fetch-negotiator.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define FETCH_NEGOTIATOR_H
 
 struct commit;
+struct repository;
 
 /*
  * An object that supplies the information needed to negotiate the contents of
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ struct fetch_negotiator {
 	void *data;
 };
 
-void fetch_negotiator_init(struct fetch_negotiator *negotiator,
-			   const char *algorithm);
+void fetch_negotiator_init(struct repository *r,
+			   struct fetch_negotiator *negotiator);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/fetch-pack.c b/fetch-pack.c
index 65be043f2a..d81f47c07b 100644
--- a/fetch-pack.c
+++ b/fetch-pack.c
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ static int agent_supported;
 static int server_supports_filtering;
 static struct lock_file shallow_lock;
 static const char *alternate_shallow_file;
-static char *negotiation_algorithm;
 static struct strbuf fsck_msg_types = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 /* Remember to update object flag allocation in object.h */
@@ -892,12 +891,13 @@ static struct ref *do_fetch_pack(struct fetch_pack_args *args,
 				 struct shallow_info *si,
 				 char **pack_lockfile)
 {
+	struct repository *r = the_repository;
 	struct ref *ref = copy_ref_list(orig_ref);
 	struct object_id oid;
 	const char *agent_feature;
 	int agent_len;
 	struct fetch_negotiator negotiator;
-	fetch_negotiator_init(&negotiator, negotiation_algorithm);
+	fetch_negotiator_init(r, &negotiator);
 
 	sort_ref_list(&ref, ref_compare_name);
 	QSORT(sought, nr_sought, cmp_ref_by_name);
@@ -911,7 +911,7 @@ static struct ref *do_fetch_pack(struct fetch_pack_args *args,
 
 	if (server_supports("shallow"))
 		print_verbose(args, _("Server supports %s"), "shallow");
-	else if (args->depth > 0 || is_repository_shallow(the_repository))
+	else if (args->depth > 0 || is_repository_shallow(r))
 		die(_("Server does not support shallow clients"));
 	if (args->depth > 0 || args->deepen_since || args->deepen_not)
 		args->deepen = 1;
@@ -1379,6 +1379,7 @@ static struct ref *do_fetch_pack_v2(struct fetch_pack_args *args,
 				    struct shallow_info *si,
 				    char **pack_lockfile)
 {
+	struct repository *r = the_repository;
 	struct ref *ref = copy_ref_list(orig_ref);
 	enum fetch_state state = FETCH_CHECK_LOCAL;
 	struct oidset common = OIDSET_INIT;
@@ -1386,7 +1387,7 @@ static struct ref *do_fetch_pack_v2(struct fetch_pack_args *args,
 	int in_vain = 0;
 	int haves_to_send = INITIAL_FLUSH;
 	struct fetch_negotiator negotiator;
-	fetch_negotiator_init(&negotiator, negotiation_algorithm);
+	fetch_negotiator_init(r, &negotiator);
 	packet_reader_init(&reader, fd[0], NULL, 0,
 			   PACKET_READ_CHOMP_NEWLINE |
 			   PACKET_READ_DIE_ON_ERR_PACKET);
@@ -1505,8 +1506,6 @@ static void fetch_pack_config(void)
 	git_config_get_bool("repack.usedeltabaseoffset", &prefer_ofs_delta);
 	git_config_get_bool("fetch.fsckobjects", &fetch_fsck_objects);
 	git_config_get_bool("transfer.fsckobjects", &transfer_fsck_objects);
-	git_config_get_string("fetch.negotiationalgorithm",
-			      &negotiation_algorithm);
 
 	git_config(fetch_pack_config_cb, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index 12300131fc..f39c31c9c4 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "submodule.h"
 #include "revision.h"
 #include "commit-reach.h"
+#include "repo-settings.h"
 
 struct path_hashmap_entry {
 	struct hashmap_entry e;
@@ -3662,15 +3663,6 @@ static void merge_recursive_config(struct merge_options *opt)
 		opt->merge_detect_rename = git_config_rename("merge.renames", value);
 		free(value);
 	}
-	if (!git_config_get_string("merge.directoryrenames", &value)) {
-		int boolval = git_parse_maybe_bool(value);
-		if (0 <= boolval) {
-			opt->detect_directory_renames = boolval ? 2 : 0;
-		} else if (!strcasecmp(value, "conflict")) {
-			opt->detect_directory_renames = 1;
-		} /* avoid erroring on values from future versions of git */
-		free(value);
-	}
 	git_config(git_xmerge_config, NULL);
 }
 
@@ -3688,6 +3680,11 @@ void init_merge_options(struct merge_options *opt,
 	opt->diff_detect_rename = -1;
 	opt->merge_detect_rename = -1;
 	opt->detect_directory_renames = 1;
+
+	prepare_repo_settings(repo);
+	if (repo->settings.merge_directory_renames >= 0)
+		opt->detect_directory_renames = repo->settings.merge_directory_renames;
+
 	merge_recursive_config(opt);
 	merge_verbosity = getenv("GIT_MERGE_VERBOSITY");
 	if (merge_verbosity)
diff --git a/repo-settings.c b/repo-settings.c
index 3a5cf33814..bfb3288fda 100644
--- a/repo-settings.c
+++ b/repo-settings.c
@@ -35,6 +35,18 @@ void prepare_repo_settings(struct repository *r)
 		free(strval);
 	}
 
+	if (!repo_config_get_maybe_bool(r, "merge.directoryrenames", &value))
+		r->settings.merge_directory_renames = value ? MERGE_DIRECTORY_RENAMES_TRUE : 0;
+	else if (!repo_config_get_string(r, "merge.directoryrenames", &strval)) {
+		if (!strcasecmp(strval, "conflict"))
+			r->settings.merge_directory_renames = MERGE_DIRECTORY_RENAMES_CONFLICT;
+	}
+	if (!repo_config_get_string(r, "fetch.negotiationalgorithm", &strval)) {
+		if (!strcasecmp(strval, "skipping"))
+			r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm = FETCH_NEGOTIATION_SKIPPING;
+		else
+			r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm = FETCH_NEGOTIATION_DEFAULT;
+	}
 
 	if (!repo_config_get_bool(r, "pack.usesparse", &value))
 		r->settings.pack_use_sparse = value;
@@ -47,6 +59,11 @@ void prepare_repo_settings(struct repository *r)
 		UPDATE_DEFAULT(r->settings.index_version, 4);
 		UPDATE_DEFAULT(r->settings.core_untracked_cache, UNTRACKED_CACHE_WRITE);
 	}
+	if (!repo_config_get_bool(r, "feature.experimental", &value) && value) {
+		UPDATE_DEFAULT(r->settings.pack_use_sparse, 1);
+		UPDATE_DEFAULT(r->settings.merge_directory_renames, MERGE_DIRECTORY_RENAMES_TRUE);
+		UPDATE_DEFAULT(r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm, FETCH_NEGOTIATION_SKIPPING);
+	}
 
 	/* Hack for test programs like test-dump-untracked-cache */
 	if (ignore_untracked_cache_config)
@@ -54,5 +71,8 @@ void prepare_repo_settings(struct repository *r)
 	else
 		UPDATE_DEFAULT(r->settings.core_untracked_cache, UNTRACKED_CACHE_KEEP);
 
+	UPDATE_DEFAULT(r->settings.merge_directory_renames, MERGE_DIRECTORY_RENAMES_CONFLICT);
+	UPDATE_DEFAULT(r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm, FETCH_NEGOTIATION_DEFAULT);
+
 	r->settings_initialized = 1;
 }
diff --git a/repo-settings.h b/repo-settings.h
index e9b028e1a9..95d3392df2 100644
--- a/repo-settings.h
+++ b/repo-settings.h
@@ -8,6 +8,20 @@ enum untracked_cache_setting {
 	UNTRACKED_CACHE_WRITE = 2
 };
 
+enum merge_directory_renames_setting {
+	MERGE_DIRECTORY_RENAMES_UNSET = -1,
+	MERGE_DIRECTORY_RENAMES_NONE = 0,
+	MERGE_DIRECTORY_RENAMES_CONFLICT = 1,
+	MERGE_DIRECTORY_RENAMES_TRUE = 2,
+};
+
+enum fetch_negotiation_setting {
+	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_UNSET = -1,
+	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_NONE = 0,
+	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_DEFAULT = 1,
+	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_SKIPPING = 2,
+};
+
 struct repo_settings {
 	int core_commit_graph;
 	int gc_write_commit_graph;
@@ -16,6 +30,8 @@ struct repo_settings {
 	enum untracked_cache_setting core_untracked_cache;
 
 	int pack_use_sparse;
+	enum merge_directory_renames_setting merge_directory_renames;
+	enum fetch_negotiation_setting fetch_negotiation_algorithm;
 };
 
 struct repository;
diff --git a/t/t5552-skipping-fetch-negotiator.sh b/t/t5552-skipping-fetch-negotiator.sh
index 8a14be51a1..f70cbcc9ca 100755
--- a/t/t5552-skipping-fetch-negotiator.sh
+++ b/t/t5552-skipping-fetch-negotiator.sh
@@ -60,29 +60,6 @@ test_expect_success 'commits with no parents are sent regardless of skip distanc
 	have_not_sent c6 c4 c3
 '
 
-test_expect_success 'unknown fetch.negotiationAlgorithm values error out' '
-	rm -rf server client trace &&
-	git init server &&
-	test_commit -C server to_fetch &&
-
-	git init client &&
-	test_commit -C client on_client &&
-	git -C client checkout on_client &&
-
-	test_config -C client fetch.negotiationAlgorithm invalid &&
-	test_must_fail git -C client fetch "$(pwd)/server" 2>err &&
-	test_i18ngrep "unknown fetch negotiation algorithm" err &&
-
-	# Explicit "default" value
-	test_config -C client fetch.negotiationAlgorithm default &&
-	git -C client -c fetch.negotiationAlgorithm=default fetch "$(pwd)/server" &&
-
-	# Implementation detail: If there is nothing to fetch, we will not error out
-	test_config -C client fetch.negotiationAlgorithm invalid &&
-	git -C client fetch "$(pwd)/server" 2>err &&
-	test_i18ngrep ! "unknown fetch negotiation algorithm" err
-'
-
 test_expect_success 'when two skips collide, favor the larger one' '
 	rm -rf server client trace &&
 	git init server &&
