Upstream status: https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/project/uboot/list/?series=333354

diff --git a/tools/patman/main.py b/tools/patman/main.py
index bf300c6e64..3616b28f27 100755
--- a/tools/patman/main.py
+++ b/tools/patman/main.py
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ status.add_argument('-f', '--force', action='store_true',
 argv = sys.argv[1:]
 args, rest = parser.parse_known_args(argv)
 if hasattr(args, 'project'):
-    settings.Setup(gitutil, parser, args.project, '')
+    settings.Setup(parser, args.project)
     args, rest = parser.parse_known_args(argv)
 
 # If we have a command, it is safe to parse all arguments
diff --git a/tools/patman/patman.rst b/tools/patman/patman.rst
index 8c5c9cc2cc..7828899879 100644
--- a/tools/patman/patman.rst
+++ b/tools/patman/patman.rst
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ out where to send patches pretty well.
 During the first run patman creates a config file for you by taking the default
 user name and email address from the global .gitconfig file.
 
-To add your own, create a file ~/.patman like this::
+To add your own, create a file `~/.patman` like this::
 
     # patman alias file
 
@@ -85,6 +85,12 @@ To add your own, create a file ~/.patman like this::
     wolfgang: Wolfgang Denk <wd@denx.de>
     others: Mike Frysinger <vapier@gentoo.org>, Fred Bloggs <f.bloggs@napier.net>
 
+Patman will also look for a `.patman` configuration file at the root
+of the current project git repository, which makes it possible to
+override the `project` settings variable or anything else in a
+project-specific way.  The values of this "local" configuration file
+take precedence over those of the "global" one.
+
 Aliases are recursive.
 
 The checkpatch.pl in the U-Boot tools/ subdirectory will be located and
diff --git a/tools/patman/settings.py b/tools/patman/settings.py
index 903d6fcb0b..e8e2908f1f 100644
--- a/tools/patman/settings.py
+++ b/tools/patman/settings.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0+
 # Copyright (c) 2011 The Chromium OS Authors.
+# Copyright (c) 2022 Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer@savoirfairelinux.com>
 #
 
 try:
@@ -11,8 +12,7 @@ import argparse
 import os
 import re
 
-from patman import command
-from patman import tools
+from patman import gitutil
 
 """Default settings per-project.
 
@@ -190,7 +190,8 @@ def ReadGitAliases(fname):
 
     fd.close()
 
-def CreatePatmanConfigFile(gitutil, config_fname):
+
+def CreatePatmanConfigFile(config_fname):
     """Creates a config file under $(HOME)/.patman if it can't find one.
 
     Args:
@@ -328,26 +329,46 @@ def GetItems(config, section):
     except:
         raise
 
-def Setup(gitutil, parser, project_name, config_fname=''):
+def Setup(parser, project_name, config_fname=None):
     """Set up the settings module by reading config files.
 
+    Unless `config_fname` is specified, a `.patman` config file local
+    to the git repository is consulted, followed by the global
+    `$HOME/.patman`. If none exists, the later is created. Values
+    defined in the local config file take precedence over those
+    defined in the global one.
+
     Args:
-        parser:         The parser to update
+        parser:         The parser to update.
         project_name:   Name of project that we're working on; we'll look
             for sections named "project_section" as well.
-        config_fname:   Config filename to read ('' for default)
+        config_fname:   Config filename to read.  An error is raised if it
+            does not exist.
     """
     # First read the git alias file if available
     _ReadAliasFile('doc/git-mailrc')
     config = _ProjectConfigParser(project_name)
-    if config_fname == '':
+
+    if config_fname and not os.path.exists(config_fname):
+        raise Exception(f'provided {config_fname} does not exist')
+
+    if not config_fname:
         config_fname = '%s/.patman' % os.getenv('HOME')
+    has_config = os.path.exists(config_fname)
+
+    git_local_config_fname = os.path.join(gitutil.get_top_level(), '.patman')
+    has_git_local_config = os.path.exists(git_local_config_fname)
 
-    if not os.path.exists(config_fname):
-        print("No config file found ~/.patman\nCreating one...\n")
-        CreatePatmanConfigFile(gitutil, config_fname)
+    # Read the git local config last, so that its values override
+    # those of the global config, if any.
+    if has_config:
+        config.read(config_fname)
+    if has_git_local_config:
+        config.read(git_local_config_fname)
 
-    config.read(config_fname)
+    if not (has_config or has_git_local_config):
+        print("No config file found.\nCreating ~/.patman...\n")
+        CreatePatmanConfigFile(config_fname)
 
     for name, value in GetItems(config, 'alias'):
         alias[name] = value.split(',')
diff --git a/tools/patman/test_settings.py b/tools/patman/test_settings.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9c14b4aaa3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/patman/test_settings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0+
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2022 Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer@savoirfairelinux.com>
+#
+
+import argparse
+import contextlib
+import os
+import subprocess
+import tempfile
+
+from patman import settings
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def empty_git_repository():
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+        os.chdir(tmpdir)
+        subprocess.check_call(['git', 'init'])
+        yield tmpdir
+
+
+def test_git_local_config():
+    with empty_git_repository():
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as global_config:
+            global_config.write(b'[settings]\n'
+                                b'project=u-boot\n')
+            global_config.flush()
+            parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+            parser.add_argument('-p', '--project', default='unknown')
+
+            # Test "global" config is used.
+            settings.Setup(parser, 'unknown', global_config.name)
+            args, _ = parser.parse_known_args()
+            assert args.project == 'u-boot'
+
+            # Test local config can shadow it.
+            with open('.patman', 'w', buffering=1) as f:
+                f.write('[settings]\n'
+                        'project=guix-patches\n')
+            settings.Setup(parser, 'unknown', global_config.name)
+            args, _ = parser.parse_known_args([])
+            assert args.project == 'guix-patches'