diff --git a/docs/Config.md b/docs/Config.md
index e791c2579..c64e56d2e 100644
--- a/docs/Config.md
+++ b/docs/Config.md
@@ -87,6 +87,11 @@ gui:
   # - 'top': split the window vertically (side panel on top, main view below)
   enlargedSideViewLocation: left
 
+  # If true, wrap lines in the staging view to the width of the view. This
+  # makes it much easier to work with diffs that have long lines, e.g.
+  # paragraphs of markdown text.
+  wrapLinesInStagingView: true
+
   # One of 'auto' (default) | 'en' | 'zh-CN' | 'zh-TW' | 'pl' | 'nl' | 'ja' | 'ko' | 'ru'
   language: auto
 
diff --git a/pkg/config/user_config.go b/pkg/config/user_config.go
index 1148bb947..36dc02a68 100644
--- a/pkg/config/user_config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/user_config.go
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ type GuiConfig struct {
 	// - 'left': split the window horizontally (side panel on the left, main view on the right)
 	// - 'top': split the window vertically (side panel on top, main view below)
 	EnlargedSideViewLocation string `yaml:"enlargedSideViewLocation"`
+	// If true, wrap lines in the staging view to the width of the view. This
+	// makes it much easier to work with diffs that have long lines, e.g.
+	// paragraphs of markdown text.
+	WrapLinesInStagingView bool `yaml:"wrapLinesInStagingView"`
 	// One of 'auto' (default) | 'en' | 'zh-CN' | 'zh-TW' | 'pl' | 'nl' | 'ja' | 'ko' | 'ru'
 	Language string `yaml:"language" jsonschema:"enum=auto,enum=en,enum=zh-TW,enum=zh-CN,enum=pl,enum=nl,enum=ja,enum=ko,enum=ru"`
 	// Format used when displaying time e.g. commit time.
@@ -692,6 +696,7 @@ func GetDefaultConfig() *UserConfig {
 			ExpandedSidePanelWeight:  2,
 			MainPanelSplitMode:       "flexible",
 			EnlargedSideViewLocation: "left",
+			WrapLinesInStagingView:   true,
 			Language:                 "auto",
 			TimeFormat:               "02 Jan 06",
 			ShortTimeFormat:          time.Kitchen,
diff --git a/pkg/gui/controllers/patch_building_controller.go b/pkg/gui/controllers/patch_building_controller.go
index a76d3f5bd..7bc0ffb83 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/controllers/patch_building_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/controllers/patch_building_controller.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func (self *PatchBuildingController) GetMouseKeybindings(opts types.KeybindingsO
 func (self *PatchBuildingController) GetOnFocus() func(types.OnFocusOpts) {
 	return func(opts types.OnFocusOpts) {
 		// no need to change wrap on the secondary view because it can't be interacted with
-		self.c.Views().PatchBuilding.Wrap = false
+		self.c.Views().PatchBuilding.Wrap = self.c.UserConfig().Gui.WrapLinesInStagingView
 
 		self.c.Helpers().PatchBuilding.RefreshPatchBuildingPanel(opts)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/gui/controllers/staging_controller.go b/pkg/gui/controllers/staging_controller.go
index b2da2cd3f..fbcbc049b 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/controllers/staging_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/controllers/staging_controller.go
@@ -118,8 +118,9 @@ func (self *StagingController) GetMouseKeybindings(opts types.KeybindingsOpts) [
 
 func (self *StagingController) GetOnFocus() func(types.OnFocusOpts) {
 	return func(opts types.OnFocusOpts) {
-		self.c.Views().Staging.Wrap = false
-		self.c.Views().StagingSecondary.Wrap = false
+		wrap := self.c.UserConfig().Gui.WrapLinesInStagingView
+		self.c.Views().Staging.Wrap = wrap
+		self.c.Views().StagingSecondary.Wrap = wrap
 
 		self.c.Helpers().Staging.RefreshStagingPanel(opts)
 	}
diff --git a/schema/config.json b/schema/config.json
index ee5726740..ee6f37ca5 100644
--- a/schema/config.json
+++ b/schema/config.json
@@ -96,6 +96,11 @@
           "description": "How the window is split when in half screen mode (i.e. after hitting '+' once).\nPossible values:\n- 'left': split the window horizontally (side panel on the left, main view on the right)\n- 'top': split the window vertically (side panel on top, main view below)",
           "default": "left"
         },
+        "wrapLinesInStagingView": {
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "description": "If true, wrap lines in the staging view to the width of the view. This\nmakes it much easier to work with diffs that have long lines, e.g.\nparagraphs of markdown text.",
+          "default": true
+        },
         "language": {
           "type": "string",
           "enum": [