diff --git a/run-command.c b/run-command.c
index 839c85d12e5..39e09ee39fc 100644
--- a/run-command.c
+++ b/run-command.c
@@ -1468,7 +1468,7 @@ int pipe_command(struct child_process *cmd,
 enum child_state {
 	GIT_CP_FREE,
 	GIT_CP_WORKING,
-	GIT_CP_WAIT_CLEANUP,
+	GIT_CP_WAIT_CLEANUP, /* only for !ungroup */
 };
 
 struct parallel_processes {
@@ -1494,6 +1494,7 @@ struct parallel_processes {
 	struct pollfd *pfd;
 
 	unsigned shutdown : 1;
+	unsigned ungroup : 1;
 
 	int output_owner;
 	struct strbuf buffered_output; /* of finished children */
@@ -1563,12 +1564,16 @@ static void pp_init(struct parallel_processes *pp,
 	pp->nr_processes = 0;
 	pp->output_owner = 0;
 	pp->shutdown = 0;
+	pp->ungroup = opts->ungroup;
 	CALLOC_ARRAY(pp->children, n);
-	CALLOC_ARRAY(pp->pfd, n);
+	if (!pp->ungroup)
+		CALLOC_ARRAY(pp->pfd, n);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
 		strbuf_init(&pp->children[i].err, 0);
 		child_process_init(&pp->children[i].process);
+		if (!pp->pfd)
+			continue;
 		pp->pfd[i].events = POLLIN | POLLHUP;
 		pp->pfd[i].fd = -1;
 	}
@@ -1594,7 +1599,8 @@ static void pp_cleanup(struct parallel_processes *pp)
 	 * When get_next_task added messages to the buffer in its last
 	 * iteration, the buffered output is non empty.
 	 */
-	strbuf_write(&pp->buffered_output, stderr);
+	if (!pp->ungroup)
+		strbuf_write(&pp->buffered_output, stderr);
 	strbuf_release(&pp->buffered_output);
 
 	sigchain_pop_common();
@@ -1609,6 +1615,7 @@ static void pp_cleanup(struct parallel_processes *pp)
  */
 static int pp_start_one(struct parallel_processes *pp)
 {
+	const int ungroup = pp->ungroup;
 	int i, code;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < pp->max_processes; i++)
@@ -1618,24 +1625,30 @@ static int pp_start_one(struct parallel_processes *pp)
 		BUG("bookkeeping is hard");
 
 	code = pp->get_next_task(&pp->children[i].process,
-				 &pp->children[i].err,
+				 ungroup ? NULL : &pp->children[i].err,
 				 pp->data,
 				 &pp->children[i].data);
 	if (!code) {
-		strbuf_addbuf(&pp->buffered_output, &pp->children[i].err);
-		strbuf_reset(&pp->children[i].err);
+		if (!ungroup) {
+			strbuf_addbuf(&pp->buffered_output, &pp->children[i].err);
+			strbuf_reset(&pp->children[i].err);
+		}
 		return 1;
 	}
-	pp->children[i].process.err = -1;
-	pp->children[i].process.stdout_to_stderr = 1;
+	if (!ungroup) {
+		pp->children[i].process.err = -1;
+		pp->children[i].process.stdout_to_stderr = 1;
+	}
 	pp->children[i].process.no_stdin = 1;
 
 	if (start_command(&pp->children[i].process)) {
-		code = pp->start_failure(&pp->children[i].err,
+		code = pp->start_failure(ungroup ? NULL : &pp->children[i].err,
 					 pp->data,
 					 pp->children[i].data);
-		strbuf_addbuf(&pp->buffered_output, &pp->children[i].err);
-		strbuf_reset(&pp->children[i].err);
+		if (!ungroup) {
+			strbuf_addbuf(&pp->buffered_output, &pp->children[i].err);
+			strbuf_reset(&pp->children[i].err);
+		}
 		if (code)
 			pp->shutdown = 1;
 		return code;
@@ -1643,14 +1656,26 @@ static int pp_start_one(struct parallel_processes *pp)
 
 	pp->nr_processes++;
 	pp->children[i].state = GIT_CP_WORKING;
-	pp->pfd[i].fd = pp->children[i].process.err;
+	if (pp->pfd)
+		pp->pfd[i].fd = pp->children[i].process.err;
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void pp_mark_working_for_cleanup(struct parallel_processes *pp)
+{
+	int i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < pp->max_processes; i++)
+		if (pp->children[i].state == GIT_CP_WORKING)
+			pp->children[i].state = GIT_CP_WAIT_CLEANUP;
+}
+
 static void pp_buffer_stderr(struct parallel_processes *pp, int output_timeout)
 {
 	int i;
 
+	assert(!pp->ungroup);
+
 	while ((i = poll(pp->pfd, pp->max_processes, output_timeout)) < 0) {
 		if (errno == EINTR)
 			continue;
@@ -1677,6 +1702,9 @@ static void pp_buffer_stderr(struct parallel_processes *pp, int output_timeout)
 static void pp_output(struct parallel_processes *pp)
 {
 	int i = pp->output_owner;
+
+	assert(!pp->ungroup);
+
 	if (pp->children[i].state == GIT_CP_WORKING &&
 	    pp->children[i].err.len) {
 		strbuf_write(&pp->children[i].err, stderr);
@@ -1686,10 +1714,15 @@ static void pp_output(struct parallel_processes *pp)
 
 static int pp_collect_finished(struct parallel_processes *pp)
 {
+	const int ungroup = pp->ungroup;
 	int i, code;
 	int n = pp->max_processes;
 	int result = 0;
 
+	if (ungroup)
+		for (i = 0; i < pp->max_processes; i++)
+			pp->children[i].state = GIT_CP_WAIT_CLEANUP;
+
 	while (pp->nr_processes > 0) {
 		for (i = 0; i < pp->max_processes; i++)
 			if (pp->children[i].state == GIT_CP_WAIT_CLEANUP)
@@ -1700,8 +1733,8 @@ static int pp_collect_finished(struct parallel_processes *pp)
 		code = finish_command(&pp->children[i].process);
 
 		code = pp->task_finished(code,
-					 &pp->children[i].err, pp->data,
-					 pp->children[i].data);
+					 ungroup ? NULL : &pp->children[i].err,
+					 pp->data, pp->children[i].data);
 
 		if (code)
 			result = code;
@@ -1710,10 +1743,13 @@ static int pp_collect_finished(struct parallel_processes *pp)
 
 		pp->nr_processes--;
 		pp->children[i].state = GIT_CP_FREE;
-		pp->pfd[i].fd = -1;
+		if (pp->pfd)
+			pp->pfd[i].fd = -1;
 		child_process_init(&pp->children[i].process);
 
-		if (i != pp->output_owner) {
+		if (ungroup) {
+			; /* no strbuf_*() work to do here */
+		} else if (i != pp->output_owner) {
 			strbuf_addbuf(&pp->buffered_output, &pp->children[i].err);
 			strbuf_reset(&pp->children[i].err);
 		} else {
@@ -1774,8 +1810,12 @@ int run_processes_parallel(struct run_process_parallel_opts *opts)
 		}
 		if (!pp.nr_processes)
 			break;
-		pp_buffer_stderr(&pp, output_timeout);
-		pp_output(&pp);
+		if (opts->ungroup) {
+			pp_mark_working_for_cleanup(&pp);
+		} else {
+			pp_buffer_stderr(&pp, output_timeout);
+			pp_output(&pp);
+		}
 		code = pp_collect_finished(&pp);
 		if (code) {
 			pp.shutdown = 1;
diff --git a/run-command.h b/run-command.h
index b0268ed3db1..dcb6ded4b55 100644
--- a/run-command.h
+++ b/run-command.h
@@ -405,6 +405,10 @@ void check_pipe(int err);
  * pp_cb is the callback cookie as passed to run_processes_parallel.
  * You can store a child process specific callback cookie in pp_task_cb.
  *
+ * The "struct strbuf *err" parameter is either a pointer to a string
+ * to write errors to, or NULL if the "ungroup" option was
+ * provided. See run_processes_parallel() below.
+ *
  * Even after returning 0 to indicate that there are no more processes,
  * this function will be called again until there are no more running
  * child processes.
@@ -423,9 +427,9 @@ typedef int (*get_next_task_fn)(struct child_process *cp,
  * This callback is called whenever there are problems starting
  * a new process.
  *
- * You must not write to stdout or stderr in this function. Add your
- * message to the strbuf out instead, which will be printed without
- * messing up the output of the other parallel processes.
+ * The "struct strbuf *err" parameter is either a pointer to a string
+ * to write errors to, or NULL if the "ungroup" option was
+ * provided. See run_processes_parallel() below.
  *
  * pp_cb is the callback cookie as passed into run_processes_parallel,
  * pp_task_cb is the callback cookie as passed into get_next_task_fn.
@@ -441,9 +445,9 @@ typedef int (*start_failure_fn)(struct strbuf *out,
 /**
  * This callback is called on every child process that finished processing.
  *
- * You must not write to stdout or stderr in this function. Add your
- * message to the strbuf out instead, which will be printed without
- * messing up the output of the other parallel processes.
+ * The "struct strbuf *err" parameter is either a pointer to a string
+ * to write errors to, or NULL if the "ungroup" option was
+ * provided. See run_processes_parallel() below.
  *
  * pp_cb is the callback cookie as passed into run_processes_parallel,
  * pp_task_cb is the callback cookie as passed into get_next_task_fn.
@@ -466,6 +470,10 @@ typedef int (*task_finished_fn)(int result,
  *
  * jobs: see 'n' in run_processes_parallel() below.
  *
+ * ungroup: Ungroup output. Output is printed as soon as possible and
+ * bypasses run-command's internal processing. This may cause output
+ * from different commands to be mixed.
+ *
  * *_fn & data: see run_processes_parallel() below.
  */
 struct run_process_parallel_opts
@@ -474,6 +482,7 @@ struct run_process_parallel_opts
 	const char *tr2_label;
 
 	int jobs;
+	unsigned int ungroup:1;
 
 	get_next_task_fn get_next_task;
 	start_failure_fn start_failure;
@@ -490,10 +499,18 @@ struct run_process_parallel_opts
  *
  * The children started via this function run in parallel. Their output
  * (both stdout and stderr) is routed to stderr in a manner that output
- * from different tasks does not interleave.
+ * from different tasks does not interleave (but see "ungroup" above).
  *
  * start_failure_fn and task_finished_fn can be NULL to omit any
  * special handling.
+ *
+ * If the "ungroup" option isn't specified the callbacks will get a
+ * pointer to a "struct strbuf *out", and must not write to stdout or
+ * stderr as such output will mess up the output of the other parallel
+ * processes. If "ungroup" option is specified callbacks will get a
+ * NULL "struct strbuf *out" parameter, and are responsible for
+ * emitting their own output, including dealing with any race
+ * conditions due to writing in parallel to stdout and stderr.
  */
 int run_processes_parallel(struct run_process_parallel_opts *opts);
 
diff --git a/t/helper/test-run-command.c b/t/helper/test-run-command.c
index 56a806f228b..986acbce5f2 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-run-command.c
+++ b/t/helper/test-run-command.c
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@ static int parallel_next(struct child_process *cp,
 		return 0;
 
 	strvec_pushv(&cp->args, d->args.v);
-	strbuf_addstr(err, "preloaded output of a child\n");
+	if (err)
+		strbuf_addstr(err, "preloaded output of a child\n");
+	else
+		fprintf(stderr, "preloaded output of a child\n");
+
 	number_callbacks++;
 	return 1;
 }
@@ -41,7 +45,10 @@ static int no_job(struct child_process *cp,
 		  void *cb,
 		  void **task_cb)
 {
-	strbuf_addstr(err, "no further jobs available\n");
+	if (err)
+		strbuf_addstr(err, "no further jobs available\n");
+	else
+		fprintf(stderr, "no further jobs available\n");
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -50,7 +57,10 @@ static int task_finished(int result,
 			 void *pp_cb,
 			 void *pp_task_cb)
 {
-	strbuf_addstr(err, "asking for a quick stop\n");
+	if (err)
+		strbuf_addstr(err, "asking for a quick stop\n");
+	else
+		fprintf(stderr, "asking for a quick stop\n");
 	return 1;
 }
 
@@ -422,12 +432,15 @@ int cmd__run_command(int argc, const char **argv)
 	opts.jobs = jobs;
 	opts.data = &proc;
 
-	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "run-command-parallel")) {
+	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "run-command-parallel") ||
+	    !strcmp(argv[1], "run-command-parallel-ungroup")) {
 		next_fn = parallel_next;
-	} else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "run-command-abort")) {
+	} else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "run-command-abort") ||
+		   !strcmp(argv[1], "run-command-abort-ungroup")) {
 		next_fn = parallel_next;
 		finished_fn = task_finished;
-	} else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "run-command-no-jobs")) {
+	} else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "run-command-no-jobs") ||
+		   !strcmp(argv[1], "run-command-no-jobs-ungroup")) {
 		next_fn = no_job;
 		finished_fn = task_finished;
 	} else {
@@ -435,6 +448,7 @@ int cmd__run_command(int argc, const char **argv)
 		return 1;
 	}
 
+	opts.ungroup = ends_with(argv[1], "-ungroup");
 	opts.get_next_task = next_fn;
 	opts.task_finished = finished_fn;
 	exit(run_processes_parallel(&opts));
diff --git a/t/t0061-run-command.sh b/t/t0061-run-command.sh
index 7d00f3cc2af..3628719a06d 100755
--- a/t/t0061-run-command.sh
+++ b/t/t0061-run-command.sh
@@ -135,18 +135,36 @@ test_expect_success 'run_command runs in parallel with more jobs available than
 	test_cmp expect err
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'run_command runs ungrouped in parallel with more jobs available than tasks' '
+	test-tool run-command run-command-parallel-ungroup 5 sh -c "printf \"%s\n%s\n\" Hello World" >out 2>err &&
+	test_line_count = 8 out &&
+	test_line_count = 4 err
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'run_command runs in parallel with as many jobs as tasks' '
 	test-tool run-command run-command-parallel 4 sh -c "printf \"%s\n%s\n\" Hello World" >out 2>err &&
 	test_must_be_empty out &&
 	test_cmp expect err
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'run_command runs ungrouped in parallel with as many jobs as tasks' '
+	test-tool run-command run-command-parallel-ungroup 4 sh -c "printf \"%s\n%s\n\" Hello World" >out 2>err &&
+	test_line_count = 8 out &&
+	test_line_count = 4 err
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'run_command runs in parallel with more tasks than jobs available' '
 	test-tool run-command run-command-parallel 3 sh -c "printf \"%s\n%s\n\" Hello World" >out 2>err &&
 	test_must_be_empty out &&
 	test_cmp expect err
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'run_command runs ungrouped in parallel with more tasks than jobs available' '
+	test-tool run-command run-command-parallel-ungroup 3 sh -c "printf \"%s\n%s\n\" Hello World" >out 2>err &&
+	test_line_count = 8 out &&
+	test_line_count = 4 err
+'
+
 cat >expect <<-EOF
 preloaded output of a child
 asking for a quick stop
@@ -162,6 +180,12 @@ test_expect_success 'run_command is asked to abort gracefully' '
 	test_cmp expect err
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'run_command is asked to abort gracefully (ungroup)' '
+	test-tool run-command run-command-abort-ungroup 3 false >out 2>err &&
+	test_must_be_empty out &&
+	test_line_count = 6 err
+'
+
 cat >expect <<-EOF
 no further jobs available
 EOF
@@ -172,6 +196,12 @@ test_expect_success 'run_command outputs ' '
 	test_cmp expect err
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'run_command outputs (ungroup) ' '
+	test-tool run-command run-command-no-jobs-ungroup 3 sh -c "printf \"%s\n%s\n\" Hello World" >out 2>err &&
+	test_must_be_empty out &&
+	test_cmp expect err
+'
+
 test_trace () {
 	expect="$1"
 	shift
