diff --git a/add-interactive.c b/add-interactive.c
index 041e990aae..f0beeefa79 100644
--- a/add-interactive.c
+++ b/add-interactive.c
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ int init_add_i_state(struct repository *r, struct add_i_state *s)
 				  &s->interactive_diff_algorithm))
 		s->interactive_diff_algorithm = NULL;
 
+	if (git_config_get_bool("interactive.singlekey",
+				&s->use_single_key))
+		s->use_single_key = 0;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/add-interactive.h b/add-interactive.h
index 25e300b4a0..41b9b2fa38 100644
--- a/add-interactive.h
+++ b/add-interactive.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ struct add_i_state {
 	char file_old_color[COLOR_MAXLEN];
 	char file_new_color[COLOR_MAXLEN];
 
+	int use_single_key;
 	char *interactive_diff_filter, *interactive_diff_algorithm;
 };
 
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ enum color_add_i {
 const char *get_add_i_color(enum color_add_i ix);
 const char *get_interactive_diff_filter(void);
 const char *get_interactive_diff_algorithm(void);
+int get_interactive_use_single_key(void);
 
 struct repository;
 struct pathspec;
diff --git a/add-patch.c b/add-patch.c
index ecef863f85..e8e7cfa48d 100644
--- a/add-patch.c
+++ b/add-patch.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "pathspec.h"
 #include "color.h"
 #include "diff.h"
+#include "compat/terminal.h"
 
 enum prompt_mode_type {
 	PROMPT_MODE_CHANGE = 0, PROMPT_DELETION, PROMPT_HUNK
@@ -1047,14 +1048,27 @@ static int run_apply_check(struct add_p_state *s,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int read_single_character(struct add_p_state *s)
+{
+	if (s->s.use_single_key) {
+		int res = read_key_without_echo(&s->answer);
+		printf("%s\n", res == EOF ? "" : s->answer.buf);
+		return res;
+	}
+
+	if (strbuf_getline(&s->answer, stdin) == EOF)
+		return EOF;
+	strbuf_trim_trailing_newline(&s->answer);
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int prompt_yesno(struct add_p_state *s, const char *prompt)
 {
 	for (;;) {
 		color_fprintf(stdout, s->s.prompt_color, "%s", _(prompt));
 		fflush(stdout);
-		if (strbuf_getline(&s->answer, stdin) == EOF)
+		if (read_single_character(s) == EOF)
 			return -1;
-		strbuf_trim_trailing_newline(&s->answer);
 		switch (tolower(s->answer.buf[0])) {
 		case 'n': return 0;
 		case 'y': return 1;
@@ -1290,9 +1304,8 @@ static int patch_update_file(struct add_p_state *s,
 			      _(s->mode->prompt_mode[prompt_mode_type]),
 			      s->buf.buf);
 		fflush(stdout);
-		if (strbuf_getline(&s->answer, stdin) == EOF)
+		if (read_single_character(s) == EOF)
 			break;
-		strbuf_trim_trailing_newline(&s->answer);
 
 		if (!s->answer.len)
 			continue;