diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go
index 36ab8ef6742..9329aa0d5ab 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go
@@ -30,20 +30,37 @@ func NewFileLoader(gitCommon *GitCommon, cmd oscommands.ICmdObjBuilder, config F
 	}
 }
 
+type ShowUntrackedMode int
+
+const (
+	// Use the value from git config (show all if not set)
+	ShowUntrackedModeAuto ShowUntrackedMode = iota
+	// Show untracked files regardless of git config. Useful for users with bare
+	// repos for dotfiles who default to hiding untracked files, but want to
+	// occasionally see them to `git add` a new file.
+	ShowUntrackedModeOn
+	// Hide untracked files regardless of git config.
+	ShowUntrackedModeOff
+)
+
 type GetStatusFileOptions struct {
-	NoRenames bool
-	// If true, we'll show untracked files even if the user has set the config to hide them.
-	// This is useful for users with bare repos for dotfiles who default to hiding untracked files,
-	// but want to occasionally see them to `git add` a new file.
-	ForceShowUntracked bool
+	NoRenames     bool
+	ShowUntracked ShowUntrackedMode
 }
 
 func (self *FileLoader) GetStatusFiles(opts GetStatusFileOptions) []*models.File {
 	// check if config wants us ignoring untracked files
 	untrackedFilesSetting := self.config.GetShowUntrackedFiles()
 
-	if opts.ForceShowUntracked || untrackedFilesSetting == "" {
+	switch opts.ShowUntracked {
+	case ShowUntrackedModeOn:
 		untrackedFilesSetting = "all"
+	case ShowUntrackedModeOff:
+		untrackedFilesSetting = "no"
+	default: // ShowUntrackedModeAuto
+		if untrackedFilesSetting == "" {
+			untrackedFilesSetting = "all"
+		}
 	}
 	untrackedFilesArg := fmt.Sprintf("--untracked-files=%s", untrackedFilesSetting)
 
diff --git a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go
index 126018da681..1b2477f3a5d 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func (self *RefreshHelper) Refresh(options types.RefreshOptions) {
 		if scopeSet.Includes(types.FILES) || scopeSet.Includes(types.SUBMODULES) {
 			fileWg.Add(1)
 			refresh("files", func() {
-				_ = self.refreshFilesAndSubmodules()
+				_ = self.refreshFilesAndSubmodules(options.TakeOverUntrackedFilesFromPreviousModel)
 				fileWg.Done()
 			})
 		}
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshBranches(refreshWorktrees bool, keepBranchSele
 	self.refreshStatus()
 }
 
-func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshFilesAndSubmodules() error {
+func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshFilesAndSubmodules(takeOverUntrackedFilesFromPreviousModel bool) error {
 	self.c.Mutexes().RefreshingFilesMutex.Lock()
 	self.c.State().SetIsRefreshingFiles(true)
 	defer func() {
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshFilesAndSubmodules() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := self.refreshStateFiles(); err != nil {
+	if err := self.refreshStateFiles(takeOverUntrackedFilesFromPreviousModel); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshFilesAndSubmodules() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshStateFiles() error {
+func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshStateFiles(takeOverUntrackedFilesFromPreviousModel bool) error {
 	fileTreeViewModel := self.c.Contexts().Files.FileTreeViewModel
 
 	prevConflictFileCount := 0
@@ -599,11 +599,27 @@ func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshStateFiles() error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	var previousUntrackedFiles []*models.File
+	if takeOverUntrackedFilesFromPreviousModel {
+		previousUntrackedFiles = lo.Filter(self.c.Model().Files,
+			func(file *models.File, _ int) bool { return file.ShortStatus == "??" })
+	}
+
+	showUntracked := git_commands.ShowUntrackedModeAuto
+	if takeOverUntrackedFilesFromPreviousModel {
+		showUntracked = git_commands.ShowUntrackedModeOff
+	} else if self.c.Contexts().Files.ForceShowUntracked() {
+		showUntracked = git_commands.ShowUntrackedModeOn
+	}
 	files := self.c.Git().Loaders.FileLoader.
 		GetStatusFiles(git_commands.GetStatusFileOptions{
-			ForceShowUntracked: self.c.Contexts().Files.ForceShowUntracked(),
+			ShowUntracked: showUntracked,
 		})
 
+	if takeOverUntrackedFilesFromPreviousModel {
+		files = append(files, previousUntrackedFiles...)
+	}
+
 	conflictFileCount := 0
 	for _, file := range files {
 		if file.HasMergeConflicts {
diff --git a/pkg/gui/controllers/staging_controller.go b/pkg/gui/controllers/staging_controller.go
index f667dd212c3..3d85ea13ca2 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/controllers/staging_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/controllers/staging_controller.go
@@ -226,11 +226,16 @@ func (self *StagingController) DiscardSelection() error {
 }
 
 func (self *StagingController) applySelectionAndRefresh(reverse bool) error {
+	isTracked := self.c.Contexts().Files.GetSelectedFile().Tracked
+
 	if err := self.applySelection(reverse); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	self.c.Refresh(types.RefreshOptions{Scope: []types.RefreshableView{types.FILES, types.STAGING}})
+	self.c.Refresh(types.RefreshOptions{
+		Scope:                                   []types.RefreshableView{types.FILES, types.STAGING},
+		TakeOverUntrackedFilesFromPreviousModel: isTracked,
+	})
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -281,11 +286,16 @@ func (self *StagingController) applySelection(reverse bool) error {
 }
 
 func (self *StagingController) EditHunkAndRefresh() error {
+	isTracked := self.c.Contexts().Files.GetSelectedFile().Tracked
+
 	if err := self.editHunk(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	self.c.Refresh(types.RefreshOptions{Scope: []types.RefreshableView{types.FILES, types.STAGING}})
+	self.c.Refresh(types.RefreshOptions{
+		Scope:                                   []types.RefreshableView{types.FILES, types.STAGING},
+		TakeOverUntrackedFilesFromPreviousModel: isTracked,
+	})
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/gui/types/refresh.go b/pkg/gui/types/refresh.go
index 8092ee36ee9..4a5d5e4811b 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/types/refresh.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/types/refresh.go
@@ -44,4 +44,9 @@ type RefreshOptions struct {
 	// keeps the selection index the same. Useful after checking out a detached
 	// head, and selecting index 0.
 	KeepBranchSelectionIndex bool
+
+	// If true, call git status with --untracked-files=no to skip enumerating untracked files, and
+	// keep the ones we have in the model. Useful as a performance optimization when we know the
+	// untracked files can't have changed, e.g. after staging/unstaging hunks of tracked files.
+	TakeOverUntrackedFilesFromPreviousModel bool
 }