diff --git a/LibGit2Sharp.Tests/StageFixture.cs b/LibGit2Sharp.Tests/StageFixture.cs
index 5499f578b..3355645f0 100644
--- a/LibGit2Sharp.Tests/StageFixture.cs
+++ b/LibGit2Sharp.Tests/StageFixture.cs
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public void StagingAnUnknownFileThrowsIfExplicitPath(string relativePath, FileSt
                 Assert.Null(repo.Index[relativePath]);
                 Assert.Equal(status, repo.Index.RetrieveStatus(relativePath));
 
-                Assert.Throws<UnmatchedPathException>(() => repo.Index.Stage(relativePath, new ExplicitPathsOptions()));
+                Assert.Throws<UnmatchedPathException>(() => repo.Index.Stage(relativePath, new StageOptions { ExplicitPathsOptions = new ExplicitPathsOptions() }));
             }
         }
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ public void CanStageAnUnknownFileWithLaxUnmatchedExplicitPathsValidation(string
                 Assert.Equal(status, repo.Index.RetrieveStatus(relativePath));
 
                 Assert.DoesNotThrow(() => repo.Index.Stage(relativePath));
-                Assert.DoesNotThrow(() => repo.Index.Stage(relativePath, new ExplicitPathsOptions { ShouldFailOnUnmatchedPath = false }));
+                Assert.DoesNotThrow(() => repo.Index.Stage(relativePath, new StageOptions { ExplicitPathsOptions = new ExplicitPathsOptions { ShouldFailOnUnmatchedPath = false } }));
 
                 Assert.Equal(status, repo.Index.RetrieveStatus(relativePath));
             }
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public void StagingAnUnknownFileWithLaxExplicitPathsValidationDoesntThrow(string
                 Assert.Equal(status, repo.Index.RetrieveStatus(relativePath));
 
                 repo.Index.Stage(relativePath);
-                repo.Index.Stage(relativePath, new ExplicitPathsOptions { ShouldFailOnUnmatchedPath = false });
+                repo.Index.Stage(relativePath, new StageOptions { ExplicitPathsOptions = new ExplicitPathsOptions { ShouldFailOnUnmatchedPath = false } });
             }
         }
 
@@ -299,6 +299,22 @@ public void CanStageWithMultiplePathspecs()
             }
         }
 
+        [Theory]
+        [InlineData("ignored_file.txt")]
+        [InlineData("ignored_folder/file.txt")]
+        public void CanIgnoreIgnoredPaths(string path)
+        {
+            using (var repo = new Repository(CloneStandardTestRepo()))
+            {
+                Touch(repo.Info.WorkingDirectory, ".gitignore", "ignored_file.txt\nignored_folder/\n");
+                Touch(repo.Info.WorkingDirectory, path, "This file is ignored.");
+
+                Assert.Equal(FileStatus.Ignored, repo.Index.RetrieveStatus(path));
+                repo.Index.Stage("*");
+                Assert.Equal(FileStatus.Ignored, repo.Index.RetrieveStatus(path));
+            }
+        }
+
         [Theory]
         [InlineData("ignored_file.txt")]
         [InlineData("ignored_folder/file.txt")]
@@ -310,7 +326,7 @@ public void CanStageIgnoredPaths(string path)
                 Touch(repo.Info.WorkingDirectory, path, "This file is ignored.");
 
                 Assert.Equal(FileStatus.Ignored, repo.Index.RetrieveStatus(path));
-                repo.Index.Stage(path);
+                repo.Index.Stage(path, new StageOptions { IncludeIgnored = true });
                 Assert.Equal(FileStatus.Added, repo.Index.RetrieveStatus(path));
             }
         }
diff --git a/LibGit2Sharp.Tests/UnstageFixture.cs b/LibGit2Sharp.Tests/UnstageFixture.cs
index 47562a6fe..d58784423 100644
--- a/LibGit2Sharp.Tests/UnstageFixture.cs
+++ b/LibGit2Sharp.Tests/UnstageFixture.cs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public void CanStageAndUnstageAnIgnoredFile()
 
                 Assert.Equal(FileStatus.Ignored, repo.Index.RetrieveStatus(relativePath));
 
-                repo.Index.Stage(relativePath);
+                repo.Index.Stage(relativePath, new StageOptions { IncludeIgnored = true });
                 Assert.Equal(FileStatus.Added, repo.Index.RetrieveStatus(relativePath));
 
                 repo.Index.Unstage(relativePath);
diff --git a/LibGit2Sharp/Index.cs b/LibGit2Sharp/Index.cs
index ee5e02979..f7e26318a 100644
--- a/LibGit2Sharp/Index.cs
+++ b/LibGit2Sharp/Index.cs
@@ -129,32 +129,70 @@ IEnumerator IEnumerable.GetEnumerator()
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Promotes to the staging area the latest modifications of a file in the working directory (addition, updation or removal).
+        /// 
+        /// If this path is ignored by configuration then it will not be staged.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="path">The path of the file within the working directory.</param>
         /// <param name="explicitPathsOptions">
         /// If set, the passed <paramref name="path"/> will be treated as explicit paths.
         /// Use these options to determine how unmatched explicit paths should be handled.
         /// </param>
-        public virtual void Stage(string path, ExplicitPathsOptions explicitPathsOptions = null)
+        [Obsolete("This will be removed in a future release. Supply ExplicitPathsOptions to StageOptions.")]
+        public virtual void Stage(string path, ExplicitPathsOptions explicitPathsOptions)
+        {
+            Stage(path, new StageOptions { ExplicitPathsOptions = explicitPathsOptions });
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Promotes to the staging area the latest modifications of a file in the working directory (addition, updation or removal).
+        /// 
+        /// If this path is ignored by configuration then it will not be staged unless <see cref="StageOptions.IncludeIgnored"/> is unset.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="path">The path of the file within the working directory.</param>
+        /// <param name="stageOptions">If set, determines how paths will be staged.</param>
+        public virtual void Stage(string path, StageOptions stageOptions = null)
         {
             Ensure.ArgumentNotNull(path, "path");
 
-            Stage(new[] { path }, explicitPathsOptions);
+            Stage(new[] { path }, stageOptions);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Promotes to the staging area the latest modifications of a collection of files in the working directory (addition, updation or removal).
+        /// 
+        /// Any paths (even those listed explicitly) that are ignored by configuration will not be staged.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="paths">The collection of paths of the files within the working directory.</param>
         /// <param name="explicitPathsOptions">
         /// If set, the passed <paramref name="paths"/> will be treated as explicit paths.
         /// Use these options to determine how unmatched explicit paths should be handled.
         /// </param>
-        public virtual void Stage(IEnumerable<string> paths, ExplicitPathsOptions explicitPathsOptions = null)
+        [Obsolete("This will be removed in a future release. Supply ExplicitPathsOptions to StageOptions.")]
+        public virtual void Stage(IEnumerable<string> paths, ExplicitPathsOptions explicitPathsOptions)
+        {
+            Stage(paths, new StageOptions { ExplicitPathsOptions = explicitPathsOptions });
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Promotes to the staging area the latest modifications of a collection of files in the working directory (addition, updation or removal).
+        /// 
+        /// Any paths (even those listed explicitly) that are ignored by configuration will not be staged unless <see cref="StageOptions.IncludeIgnored"/> is unset.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="paths">The collection of paths of the files within the working directory.</param>
+        /// <param name="stageOptions">If set, determines how paths will be staged.</param>
+        public virtual void Stage(IEnumerable<string> paths, StageOptions stageOptions = null)
         {
             Ensure.ArgumentNotNull(paths, "paths");
 
-            var changes = repo.Diff.Compare<TreeChanges>(DiffModifiers.IncludeUntracked | DiffModifiers.IncludeIgnored, paths, explicitPathsOptions);
+            DiffModifiers diffModifiers = DiffModifiers.IncludeUntracked;
+            ExplicitPathsOptions explicitPathsOptions = stageOptions != null ? stageOptions.ExplicitPathsOptions : null;
+
+            if (stageOptions != null && stageOptions.IncludeIgnored)
+            {
+                diffModifiers |= DiffModifiers.IncludeIgnored;
+            }
+
+            var changes = repo.Diff.Compare<TreeChanges>(diffModifiers, paths, explicitPathsOptions);
 
             foreach (var treeEntryChanges in changes)
             {
diff --git a/LibGit2Sharp/LibGit2Sharp.csproj b/LibGit2Sharp/LibGit2Sharp.csproj
index 8ed8c54c1..d8814ab95 100644
--- a/LibGit2Sharp/LibGit2Sharp.csproj
+++ b/LibGit2Sharp/LibGit2Sharp.csproj
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@
     <Compile Include="RevertResult.cs" />
     <Compile Include="SignatureExtensions.cs" />
     <Compile Include="RevertOptions.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="StageOptions.cs" />
     <Compile Include="StatusOptions.cs" />
     <Compile Include="SimilarityOptions.cs" />
     <Compile Include="UnbornBranchException.cs" />
@@ -351,4 +352,4 @@
     </CreateItem>
     <Copy SourceFiles="@(NativeBinaries)" DestinationFiles="@(NativeBinaries->'$(OutputPath)NativeBinaries\%(RecursiveDir)%(Filename)%(Extension)')" SkipUnchangedFiles="true" />
   </Target>
-</Project>
+</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/LibGit2Sharp/StageOptions.cs b/LibGit2Sharp/StageOptions.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7701b8948
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LibGit2Sharp/StageOptions.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+using System;
+
+namespace LibGit2Sharp
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Options to define file staging behavior.
+    /// </summary>
+    public sealed class StageOptions
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Stage ignored files. (Default = false)
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool IncludeIgnored { get; set; }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// If set, the passed paths will be treated as explicit paths.
+        /// Use these options to determine how unmatched explicit paths
+        /// should be handled. (Default = null)
+        /// </summary>
+        public ExplicitPathsOptions ExplicitPathsOptions { get; set; }
+    }
+}