diff --git a/doc/tigrc.5.adoc b/doc/tigrc.5.adoc
index e48217342..c391a06bb 100644
--- a/doc/tigrc.5.adoc
+++ b/doc/tigrc.5.adoc
@@ -274,11 +274,18 @@ The following variables can be set:
 
 	Hide the leading `+` and `-` signs in diff output. Copy-paste of lines
 	from the diff view may be aided by this option. Enabling this only makes
-	sense when coloring is used to distinguish added and removed lines.
-	Removed and added lines are indicated in the first column by a space
-	highlighted by the color `diff-add-highlight` or `diff-del-highlight`,
-	respectively. Keeping the `standout` (reverse) property set for these is
-	suggested, as white space is otherwise invisible. Off by default.
+	sense when coloring is used to distinguish added and removed lines. Off
+	by default.
+
+'diff-column-highlight' (enum) [no|all|only-empty]::
+
+	Highlight the left-most column in diff views visually when the option
+	'diff-hide-signs' is in effect. All added/removed lines can be
+	highlighted, or only empty lines. Changed lines are indicated in the
+	first column by a space highlighted by the color `diff-add-highlight` or
+	`diff-del-highlight`, respectively. Keeping the `standout` (reverse)
+	property set for these is suggested, as white space is otherwise
+	invisible. Default is to highlight all lines.
 
 'diff-highlight' (mixed)::
 
diff --git a/include/tig/options.h b/include/tig/options.h
index 3226edd0d..60fb8abf5 100644
--- a/include/tig/options.h
+++ b/include/tig/options.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ typedef struct view_column *view_settings;
 	_(diff_context,			int,			VIEW_DIFF_LIKE) \
 	_(diff_noprefix,		bool,			VIEW_NO_FLAGS) \
 	_(diff_hide_signs,		bool,			VIEW_NO_FLAGS) \
+	_(diff_column_highlight,	enum diff_column_highlight,	VIEW_NO_FLAGS) \
 	_(diff_options,			const char **,		VIEW_DIFF_LIKE) \
 	_(diff_highlight,		const char *,		VIEW_DIFF_LIKE) \
 	_(diff_view,			view_settings,		VIEW_NO_FLAGS) \
diff --git a/include/tig/types.h b/include/tig/types.h
index 6bc481af7..4f7ecbe8a 100644
--- a/include/tig/types.h
+++ b/include/tig/types.h
@@ -161,6 +161,11 @@ bool map_enum_do(const struct enum_map_entry *map, size_t map_size, int *value,
 	_(REFRESH_MODE, AFTER_COMMAND), \
 	_(REFRESH_MODE, PERIODIC),
 
+#define DIFF_COLUMN_HIGHLIGHT_ENUM(_) \
+	_(DIFF_COLUMN_HIGHLIGHT, NO), \
+	_(DIFF_COLUMN_HIGHLIGHT, ALL), \
+	_(DIFF_COLUMN_HIGHLIGHT, ONLY_EMPTY)
+
 #define ENUM_INFO(_) \
 	_(author, AUTHOR_ENUM) \
 	_(commit_order, COMMIT_ORDER_ENUM) \
@@ -176,6 +181,7 @@ bool map_enum_do(const struct enum_map_entry *map, size_t map_size, int *value,
 	_(reference_type, REFERENCE_ENUM) \
 	_(refresh_mode, REFRESH_MODE_ENUM) \
 	_(status_label, STATUS_LABEL_ENUM) \
+	_(diff_column_highlight, DIFF_COLUMN_HIGHLIGHT_ENUM) \
 
 #define DEFINE_ENUMS(name, macro) DEFINE_ENUM(name, macro)
 ENUM_INFO(DEFINE_ENUMS)
diff --git a/src/draw.c b/src/draw.c
index d25f9b013..e0d4ce096 100644
--- a/src/draw.c
+++ b/src/draw.c
@@ -80,14 +80,15 @@ draw_chars(struct view *view, enum line_type type, const char *string, int lengt
 		    view->col == 0      &&
 		    (type == LINE_DIFF_ADD || type == LINE_DIFF_DEL)
 		   ) {
-			/* Mark first column by color-only for add/del line */
-			if (type == LINE_DIFF_ADD)
-				set_view_attr(view, LINE_DIFF_ADD_HIGHLIGHT);
-			else if (type == LINE_DIFF_DEL)
-				set_view_attr(view, LINE_DIFF_DEL_HIGHLIGHT);
-			waddnstr(view->win, " ", 1);
-
-			/* Add the actual diff line */
+			if (opt_diff_column_highlight != DIFF_COLUMN_HIGHLIGHT_NO) {
+				if (type == LINE_DIFF_ADD)
+					set_view_attr(view, LINE_DIFF_ADD_HIGHLIGHT);
+				else if (type == LINE_DIFF_DEL)
+					set_view_attr(view, LINE_DIFF_DEL_HIGHLIGHT);
+				if (opt_diff_column_highlight == DIFF_COLUMN_HIGHLIGHT_ALL || len == 1) {
+					waddnstr(view->win, " ", 1);
+				}
+			}
 			set_view_attr(view, type);
 			waddnstr(view->win, string+1, len-1);
 		} else {
diff --git a/tigrc b/tigrc
index dc04ee5a4..e1588561e 100644
--- a/tigrc
+++ b/tigrc
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ set show-notes			= yes		# When non-bool passed as `--show-notes=...` (diff)
 #set diff-highlight		= true		# String (or bool): Path to diff-highlight script,
 						#                   defaults to `diff-highlight`.
 set diff-hide-signs		= no		# Hide diff signs (+ and -) at the start of diff lines
+set diff-column-highlight	= all		# Enum: no, all, only-empty
 #set blame-options		= -C -C -C	# User-defined options for `tig blame` (git-blame)
 #set log-options		= --pretty=raw	# User-defined options for `tig log` (git-log)
 #set main-options		= -n 1000	# User-defined options for `tig` (git-log)