diff --git a/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository.h b/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository.h
index 45f3caead..b98137207 100644
--- a/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository.h
+++ b/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository.h
@@ -110,6 +110,16 @@ extern NSString * const GTRepositoryCloneOptionsCloneLocal;
 /// A NSURL pointing to a local file that contains PEM-encoded certificate chain.
 extern NSString *const GTRepositoryCloneOptionsServerCertificateURL;
 
+/// Repository extended open control flags for
+/// +initWithURL:flags:ceilingDirs:error:.
+///
+/// See respository.h for documentation of each individual flag.
+typedef NS_OPTIONS(NSInteger, GTRepositoryOpenFlags) {
+	GTRepositoryOpenNoSearch = GIT_REPOSITORY_OPEN_NO_SEARCH,
+	GTRepositoryOpenCrossFS = GIT_REPOSITORY_OPEN_CROSS_FS,
+	GTRepositoryOpenBare = GIT_REPOSITORY_OPEN_BARE,
+};
+
 /// Initialization flags associated with `GTRepositoryInitOptionsFlags` for
 /// +initializeEmptyRepositoryAtFileURL:options:error:.
 ///
@@ -209,6 +219,17 @@ typedef NS_ENUM(NSInteger, GTRepositoryStateType) {
 /// Returns the initialized repository, or nil if an error occurred.
 - (nullable instancetype)initWithURL:(NSURL *)localFileURL error:(NSError **)error;
 
+/// Convenience initializer to find and open a repository with extended controls.
+///
+/// localFileURL    - The file URL for the new repository. Cannot be nil.
+/// flags           - A combination of the `GTRepositoryOpenFlags` flags.
+/// ceilingDirURLs  - An array of URLs at which the search for a containing
+///                   repository should terminate. Can be NULL.
+/// error           - The error if one occurs.
+///
+/// Returns the initialized repository, or nil if an error occurred.
+- (nullable instancetype)initWithURL:(NSURL *)localFileURL flags:(NSInteger)flags ceilingDirs:(nullable NSArray<NSURL *> *)ceilingDirURLs error:(NSError **)error;
+
 - (instancetype)init NS_UNAVAILABLE;
 
 /// Initializes the receiver to wrap the given repository object. Designated initializer.
diff --git a/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository.m b/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository.m
index fc1e22d98..3a4976bc3 100644
--- a/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository.m
+++ b/ObjectiveGit/GTRepository.m
@@ -177,6 +177,35 @@ - (instancetype)initWithURL:(NSURL *)localFileURL error:(NSError **)error {
 	return [self initWithGitRepository:r];
 }
 
+- (instancetype)initWithURL:(NSURL *)localFileURL flags:(NSInteger)flags ceilingDirs:(NSArray<NSURL *> *)ceilingDirURLs error:(NSError **)error {
+	if (!localFileURL.isFileURL || localFileURL.path == nil) {
+		if (error != NULL) *error = [NSError errorWithDomain:NSCocoaErrorDomain code:NSFileReadUnsupportedSchemeError userInfo:@{ NSLocalizedDescriptionKey: NSLocalizedString(@"Invalid file path URL to open.", @"") }];
+		return nil;
+	}
+
+	// Concatenate URL paths.
+	NSMutableString *ceilingDirsString;
+	if (ceilingDirURLs.count > 0) {
+		ceilingDirsString = [[NSMutableString alloc] init];
+		[ceilingDirURLs enumerateObjectsUsingBlock:^(NSURL * _Nonnull url, NSUInteger idx, BOOL * _Nonnull stop) {
+			if (idx < ceilingDirURLs.count - 1) {
+				[ceilingDirsString appendString:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@%c", url.path, GIT_PATH_LIST_SEPARATOR]];
+			} else {
+				[ceilingDirsString appendString:url.path];
+			}
+		}];
+	}
+
+	git_repository *r;
+	int gitError = git_repository_open_ext(&r, localFileURL.path.fileSystemRepresentation, (unsigned int)flags, ceilingDirsString.fileSystemRepresentation);
+	if (gitError < GIT_OK) {
+		if (error != NULL) *error = [NSError git_errorFor:gitError description:@"Failed to open repository at URL %@.", localFileURL];
+		return nil;
+	}
+
+	return [self initWithGitRepository:r];
+}
+
 
 typedef void(^GTTransferProgressBlock)(const git_transfer_progress *progress, BOOL *stop);