diff --git a/Documentation/Makefile b/Documentation/Makefile
index d40e211f22d..9fee0b9261d 100644
--- a/Documentation/Makefile
+++ b/Documentation/Makefile
@@ -124,6 +124,16 @@ SHELL_PATH ?= $(SHELL)
 # Shell quote;
 SHELL_PATH_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(SHELL_PATH))
 
+ifdef DEFAULT_PAGER
+DEFAULT_PAGER_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(DEFAULT_PAGER))
+ASCIIDOC_EXTRA += -a 'git-default-pager=$(DEFAULT_PAGER_SQ)'
+endif
+
+ifdef DEFAULT_EDITOR
+DEFAULT_EDITOR_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(DEFAULT_EDITOR))
+ASCIIDOC_EXTRA += -a 'git-default-editor=$(DEFAULT_EDITOR_SQ)'
+endif
+
 #
 # Please note that there is a minor bug in asciidoc.
 # The version after 6.0.3 _will_ include the patch found here:
diff --git a/Documentation/git-var.txt b/Documentation/git-var.txt
index 5317cc24745..988a3234f43 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-var.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-var.txt
@@ -43,13 +43,21 @@ GIT_EDITOR::
     `$SOME_ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE`, `"C:\Program Files\Vim\gvim.exe"
     --nofork`.  The order of preference is the `$GIT_EDITOR`
     environment variable, then `core.editor` configuration, then
-    `$VISUAL`, then `$EDITOR`, and then finally 'vi'.
+    `$VISUAL`, then `$EDITOR`, and then the default chosen at compile
+    time, which is usually 'vi'.
+ifdef::git-default-editor[]
+    The build you are using chose '{git-default-editor}' as the default.
+endif::git-default-editor[]
 
 GIT_PAGER::
     Text viewer for use by git commands (e.g., 'less').  The value
     is meant to be interpreted by the shell.  The order of preference
     is the `$GIT_PAGER` environment variable, then `core.pager`
-    configuration, then `$PAGER`, and then finally 'less'.
+    configuration, then `$PAGER`, and then the default chosen at
+    compile time (usually 'less').
+ifdef::git-default-pager[]
+    The build you are using chose '{git-default-pager}' as the default.
+endif::git-default-pager[]
 
 Diagnostics
 -----------
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 28a46e5594a..172e924a295 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2266,6 +2266,8 @@ $(XDIFF_LIB): $(XDIFF_OBJS)
 $(VCSSVN_LIB): $(VCSSVN_OBJS)
 	$(QUIET_AR)$(RM) $@ && $(AR) rcs $@ $(VCSSVN_OBJS)
 
+export DEFAULT_EDITOR DEFAULT_PAGER
+
 doc:
 	$(MAKE) -C Documentation all