diff --git a/git_cl.py b/git_cl.py
index 285e271163..bea6b59a9f 100755
--- a/git_cl.py
+++ b/git_cl.py
@@ -694,7 +694,8 @@ def _ComputeDiffLineRanges(files, upstream_commit):
     return {}
 
   # Take the git diff and find the line ranges where there are changes.
-  diff_cmd = BuildGitDiffCmd('-U0', upstream_commit, files, allow_prefix=True)
+  lines = '-U%s' % settings.GetDiffLinesOfContext()
+  diff_cmd = BuildGitDiffCmd(lines, upstream_commit, files, allow_prefix=True)
   diff_output = RunGit(diff_cmd)
 
   pattern = r'(?:^diff --git a/(?:.*) b/(.*))|(?:^@@.*\+(.*) @@)'
@@ -943,6 +944,10 @@ class Settings(object):
     return (self._GetConfig('rietveld.cpplint-ignore-regex', error_ok=True) or
             DEFAULT_LINT_IGNORE_REGEX)
 
+  def GetDiffLinesOfContext(self):
+    return (self._GetConfig('rietveld.diff-lines-of-context', error_ok=True) or
+            "0")
+
   def _GetConfig(self, param, **kwargs):
     self.LazyUpdateIfNeeded()
     return RunGit(['config', param], **kwargs).strip()
@@ -3154,6 +3159,8 @@ def LoadCodereviewSettingsFromFile(fileobj):
   SetProperty('cpplint-ignore-regex', 'LINT_IGNORE_REGEX', unset_error_ok=True)
   SetProperty('run-post-upload-hook', 'RUN_POST_UPLOAD_HOOK',
               unset_error_ok=True)
+  SetProperty(
+      'diff-lines-of-context', 'DIFF_LINES_OF_CONTEXT', unset_error_ok=True)
 
   if 'GERRIT_HOST' in keyvals:
     RunGit(['config', 'gerrit.host', keyvals['GERRIT_HOST']])
@@ -5195,7 +5202,8 @@ def CMDformat(parser, args):
       if not opts.dry_run and not opts.diff:
         cmd.append('-i')
 
-      diff_cmd = BuildGitDiffCmd('-U0', upstream_commit, clang_diff_files)
+      lines = '-U%s' % settings.GetDiffLinesOfContext()
+      diff_cmd = BuildGitDiffCmd(lines, upstream_commit, clang_diff_files)
       diff_output = RunGit(diff_cmd)
 
       stdout = RunCommand(cmd, stdin=diff_output, cwd=top_dir, env=env)
diff --git a/tests/git_cl_test.py b/tests/git_cl_test.py
index 8cf43c07c5..887783fca7 100755
--- a/tests/git_cl_test.py
+++ b/tests/git_cl_test.py
@@ -742,6 +742,8 @@ class TestGitCl(TestCase):
         CERR1),
       ((['git', 'config', '--unset-all', 'rietveld.run-post-upload-hook'],),
         CERR1),
+      ((['git', 'config', '--unset-all', 'rietveld.diff-lines-of-context'],),
+        CERR1),
       ((['git', 'config', 'gerrit.host', 'true'],), ''),
     ]
     self.assertIsNone(git_cl.LoadCodereviewSettingsFromFile(codereview_file))