diff --git a/Documentation/git-log.txt b/Documentation/git-log.txt
index 2c84028838d..de5c0d37a5c 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-log.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-log.txt
@@ -178,9 +178,9 @@ May be an unabbreviated ref name or a glob and may be specified
 multiple times.  A warning will be issued for refs that do not exist,
 but a glob that does not match any refs is silently ignored.
 +
-This setting can be disabled by the `--no-standard-notes` option,
+This setting can be disabled by the `--no-notes` option,
 overridden by the 'GIT_NOTES_DISPLAY_REF' environment variable,
-and supplemented by the `--show-notes` option.
+and overridden by the `--notes=<ref>` option.
 
 GIT
 ---
diff --git a/Documentation/pretty-options.txt b/Documentation/pretty-options.txt
index 50923e2ce9a..d5c977262a8 100644
--- a/Documentation/pretty-options.txt
+++ b/Documentation/pretty-options.txt
@@ -30,19 +30,34 @@ people using 80-column terminals.
 	preferred by the user.  For non plumbing commands this
 	defaults to UTF-8.
 
---no-notes::
---show-notes[=<ref>]::
+--notes[=<ref>]::
 	Show the notes (see linkgit:git-notes[1]) that annotate the
 	commit, when showing the commit log message.  This is the default
 	for `git log`, `git show` and `git whatchanged` commands when
-	there is no `--pretty`, `--format` nor `--oneline` option is
-	given on the command line.
+	there is no `--pretty`, `--format` nor `--oneline` option given
+	on the command line.
 +
-With an optional argument, add this ref to the list of notes.  The ref
-is taken to be in `refs/notes/` if it is not qualified.
+By default, the notes shown are from the notes refs listed in the
+'core.notesRef' and 'notes.displayRef' variables (or corresponding
+environment overrides). See linkgit:git-config[1] for more details.
++
+With an optional '<ref>' argument, show this notes ref instead of the
+default notes ref(s). The ref is taken to be in `refs/notes/` if it
+is not qualified.
++
+Multiple --notes options can be combined to control which notes are
+being displayed. Examples: "--notes=foo" will show only notes from
+"refs/notes/foo"; "--notes=foo --notes" will show both notes from
+"refs/notes/foo" and from the default notes ref(s).
 
+--no-notes::
+	Do not show notes. This negates the above `--notes` option, by
+	resetting the list of notes refs from which notes are shown.
+	Options are parsed in the order given on the command line, so e.g.
+	"--notes --notes=foo --no-notes --notes=bar" will only show notes
+	from "refs/notes/bar".
+
+--show-notes[=<ref>]::
 --[no-]standard-notes::
-	Enable or disable populating the notes ref list from the
-	'core.notesRef' and 'notes.displayRef' variables (or
-	corresponding environment overrides).  Enabled by default.
-	See linkgit:git-config[1].
+	These options are deprecated. Use the above --notes/--no-notes
+	options instead.
diff --git a/builtin/notes.c b/builtin/notes.c
index 8685d2bda6c..1fb1f734397 100644
--- a/builtin/notes.c
+++ b/builtin/notes.c
@@ -100,16 +100,6 @@ struct msg_arg {
 	struct strbuf buf;
 };
 
-static void expand_notes_ref(struct strbuf *sb)
-{
-	if (!prefixcmp(sb->buf, "refs/notes/"))
-		return; /* we're happy */
-	else if (!prefixcmp(sb->buf, "notes/"))
-		strbuf_insert(sb, 0, "refs/", 5);
-	else
-		strbuf_insert(sb, 0, "refs/notes/", 11);
-}
-
 static int list_each_note(const unsigned char *object_sha1,
 		const unsigned char *note_sha1, char *note_path,
 		void *cb_data)
diff --git a/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash b/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
index 9150ea60267..0df356decc4 100755
--- a/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
+++ b/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
@@ -1584,7 +1584,7 @@ __git_log_common_options="
 __git_log_gitk_options="
 	--dense --sparse --full-history
 	--simplify-merges --simplify-by-decoration
-	--left-right
+	--left-right --notes --no-notes
 "
 # Options that go well for log and shortlog (not gitk)
 __git_log_shortlog_options="
diff --git a/notes.c b/notes.c
index a013c1bc638..f6ce8489d31 100644
--- a/notes.c
+++ b/notes.c
@@ -1053,7 +1053,8 @@ void init_display_notes(struct display_notes_opt *opt)
 
 	assert(!display_notes_trees);
 
-	if (!opt || !opt->suppress_default_notes) {
+	if (!opt || opt->use_default_notes > 0 ||
+	    (opt->use_default_notes == -1 && !opt->extra_notes_refs.nr)) {
 		string_list_append(&display_notes_refs, default_notes_ref());
 		display_ref_env = getenv(GIT_NOTES_DISPLAY_REF_ENVIRONMENT);
 		if (display_ref_env) {
@@ -1066,9 +1067,9 @@ void init_display_notes(struct display_notes_opt *opt)
 
 	git_config(notes_display_config, &load_config_refs);
 
-	if (opt && opt->extra_notes_refs) {
+	if (opt) {
 		struct string_list_item *item;
-		for_each_string_list_item(item, opt->extra_notes_refs)
+		for_each_string_list_item(item, &opt->extra_notes_refs)
 			string_list_add_refs_by_glob(&display_notes_refs,
 						     item->string);
 	}
@@ -1285,3 +1286,13 @@ int copy_note(struct notes_tree *t,
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
+void expand_notes_ref(struct strbuf *sb)
+{
+	if (!prefixcmp(sb->buf, "refs/notes/"))
+		return; /* we're happy */
+	else if (!prefixcmp(sb->buf, "notes/"))
+		strbuf_insert(sb, 0, "refs/", 5);
+	else
+		strbuf_insert(sb, 0, "refs/notes/", 11);
+}
diff --git a/notes.h b/notes.h
index 83bd6e0ec02..c716694b9e2 100644
--- a/notes.h
+++ b/notes.h
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #ifndef NOTES_H
 #define NOTES_H
 
+#include "string-list.h"
+
 /*
  * Function type for combining two notes annotating the same object.
  *
@@ -256,8 +258,8 @@ void format_note(struct notes_tree *t, const unsigned char *object_sha1,
 struct string_list;
 
 struct display_notes_opt {
-	unsigned int suppress_default_notes:1;
-	struct string_list *extra_notes_refs;
+	int use_default_notes;
+	struct string_list extra_notes_refs;
 };
 
 /*
@@ -307,4 +309,7 @@ void string_list_add_refs_by_glob(struct string_list *list, const char *glob);
 void string_list_add_refs_from_colon_sep(struct string_list *list,
 					 const char *globs);
 
+/* Expand inplace a note ref like "foo" or "notes/foo" into "refs/notes/foo" */
+void expand_notes_ref(struct strbuf *sb);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/revision.c b/revision.c
index 0f38364cf3f..541f09e218a 100644
--- a/revision.c
+++ b/revision.c
@@ -955,6 +955,8 @@ void init_revisions(struct rev_info *revs, const char *prefix)
 		revs->diffopt.prefix = prefix;
 		revs->diffopt.prefix_length = strlen(prefix);
 	}
+
+	revs->notes_opt.use_default_notes = -1;
 }
 
 static void add_pending_commit_list(struct rev_info *revs,
@@ -1365,32 +1367,39 @@ static int handle_revision_opt(struct rev_info *revs, int argc, const char **arg
 		revs->verbose_header = 1;
 		revs->pretty_given = 1;
 		get_commit_format(arg+9, revs);
-	} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--show-notes")) {
+	} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--show-notes") || !strcmp(arg, "--notes")) {
 		revs->show_notes = 1;
 		revs->show_notes_given = 1;
-	} else if (!prefixcmp(arg, "--show-notes=")) {
+		revs->notes_opt.use_default_notes = 1;
+	} else if (!prefixcmp(arg, "--show-notes=") ||
+		   !prefixcmp(arg, "--notes=")) {
 		struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 		revs->show_notes = 1;
 		revs->show_notes_given = 1;
-		if (!revs->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs)
-			revs->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs = xcalloc(1, sizeof(struct string_list));
-		if (!prefixcmp(arg+13, "refs/"))
-			/* happy */;
-		else if (!prefixcmp(arg+13, "notes/"))
-			strbuf_addstr(&buf, "refs/");
+		if (!prefixcmp(arg, "--show-notes")) {
+			if (revs->notes_opt.use_default_notes < 0)
+				revs->notes_opt.use_default_notes = 1;
+			strbuf_addstr(&buf, arg+13);
+		}
 		else
-			strbuf_addstr(&buf, "refs/notes/");
-		strbuf_addstr(&buf, arg+13);
-		string_list_append(revs->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs,
+			strbuf_addstr(&buf, arg+8);
+		expand_notes_ref(&buf);
+		string_list_append(&revs->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs,
 				   strbuf_detach(&buf, NULL));
 	} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--no-notes")) {
 		revs->show_notes = 0;
 		revs->show_notes_given = 1;
+		revs->notes_opt.use_default_notes = -1;
+		/* we have been strdup'ing ourselves, so trick
+		 * string_list into free()ing strings */
+		revs->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs.strdup_strings = 1;
+		string_list_clear(&revs->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs, 0);
+		revs->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs.strdup_strings = 0;
 	} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--standard-notes")) {
 		revs->show_notes_given = 1;
-		revs->notes_opt.suppress_default_notes = 0;
+		revs->notes_opt.use_default_notes = 1;
 	} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--no-standard-notes")) {
-		revs->notes_opt.suppress_default_notes = 1;
+		revs->notes_opt.use_default_notes = 0;
 	} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--oneline")) {
 		revs->verbose_header = 1;
 		get_commit_format("oneline", revs);
diff --git a/t/t3301-notes.sh b/t/t3301-notes.sh
index 3448c23776d..28e17c8920c 100755
--- a/t/t3301-notes.sh
+++ b/t/t3301-notes.sh
@@ -272,6 +272,44 @@ do
 	'
 done
 
+test_expect_success 'setup alternate notes ref' '
+	git notes --ref=alternate add -m alternate
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'git log --notes shows default notes' '
+	git log -1 --notes >output &&
+	grep xyzzy output &&
+	! grep alternate output
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'git log --notes=X shows only X' '
+	git log -1 --notes=alternate >output &&
+	! grep xyzzy output &&
+	grep alternate output
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'git log --notes --notes=X shows both' '
+	git log -1 --notes --notes=alternate >output &&
+	grep xyzzy output &&
+	grep alternate output
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'git log --no-notes resets default state' '
+	git log -1 --notes --notes=alternate \
+		--no-notes --notes=alternate \
+		>output &&
+	! grep xyzzy output &&
+	grep alternate output
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'git log --no-notes resets ref list' '
+	git log -1 --notes --notes=alternate \
+		--no-notes --notes \
+		>output &&
+	grep xyzzy output &&
+	! grep alternate output
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'create -m notes (setup)' '
 	: > a5 &&
 	git add a5 &&