diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7a2ffdb..90ca7d9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 ---
 ## Release Notes
 
+### 1.4.1
+  - Adds `gitlens.advanced.gitignore.enabled` to enable/disable .gitignore parsing. Addresses [#20](https://github.com/eamodio/vscode-gitlens/issues/20) - Nested .gitignore files can cause blame to fail with a repo within another repo
+
 ### 1.4.0
 
   - Adds `alt+h` shortcut for the `gitlens.showQuickFileHistory` command
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d161c2a..df24709 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name": "gitlens",
-    "version": "1.4.0",
+    "version": "1.4.1",
     "author": {
         "name": "Eric Amodio",
         "email": "eamodio@gmail.com"
@@ -226,6 +226,11 @@
                     "default": null,
                     "description": "Specifies a git path to use"
                 },
+                "gitlens.advanced.gitignore.enabled": {
+                    "type": "boolean",
+                    "default": true,
+                    "description": "Specifies whether or not to parse the root .gitignore file for better performance (i.e. avoids blaming excluded files)"
+                },
                 "gitlens.advanced.maxQuickHistory": {
                     "type": "number",
                     "default": 200,
diff --git a/src/configuration.ts b/src/configuration.ts
index bdd028a..8e2a60c 100644
--- a/src/configuration.ts
+++ b/src/configuration.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ export interface IAdvancedConfig {
     };
     debug: boolean;
     git: string;
+    gitignore: {
+        enabled: boolean;
+    };
     maxQuickHistory: number;
     output: {
         level: OutputLevel;
diff --git a/src/gitProvider.ts b/src/gitProvider.ts
index 378c9e3..b8177cb 100644
--- a/src/gitProvider.ts
+++ b/src/gitProvider.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ enum RemoveCacheReason {
 export default class GitProvider extends Disposable {
     private _gitCache: Map<string, GitCacheEntry> | undefined;
     private _cacheDisposable: Disposable | undefined;
+    private _repoPath: string;
     private _uriCache: Map<string, UriCacheEntry> | undefined;
 
     config: IConfig;
@@ -58,27 +59,10 @@ export default class GitProvider extends Disposable {
     constructor(private context: ExtensionContext) {
         super(() => this.dispose());
 
-        const repoPath = context.workspaceState.get(WorkspaceState.RepoPath) as string;
+        this._repoPath = context.workspaceState.get(WorkspaceState.RepoPath) as string;
 
         this._onConfigure();
 
-        this._gitignore = new Promise<ignore.Ignore | undefined>((resolve, reject) => {
-            const gitignorePath = path.join(repoPath, '.gitignore');
-            fs.exists(gitignorePath, e => {
-                if (e) {
-                    fs.readFile(gitignorePath, 'utf8', (err, data) => {
-                        if (!err) {
-                            resolve(ignore().add(data));
-                            return;
-                        }
-                        resolve(undefined);
-                    });
-                    return;
-                }
-                resolve(undefined);
-            });
-        });
-
         const subscriptions: Disposable[] = [];
 
         subscriptions.push(workspace.onDidChangeConfiguration(this._onConfigure, this));
@@ -146,6 +130,28 @@ export default class GitProvider extends Disposable {
                 this._gitCache && this._gitCache.clear();
                 this._gitCache = undefined;
             }
+
+            this._gitignore = new Promise<ignore.Ignore | undefined>((resolve, reject) => {
+                if (!config.advanced.gitignore.enabled) {
+                    resolve(undefined);
+                    return;
+                }
+
+                const gitignorePath = path.join(this._repoPath, '.gitignore');
+                fs.exists(gitignorePath, e => {
+                    if (e) {
+                        fs.readFile(gitignorePath, 'utf8', (err, data) => {
+                            if (!err) {
+                                resolve(ignore().add(data));
+                                return;
+                            }
+                            resolve(undefined);
+                        });
+                        return;
+                    }
+                    resolve(undefined);
+                });
+            });
         }
 
         this.config = config;