diff --git a/docs/Config.md b/docs/Config.md
index 44c6ace30..f8ab63362 100644
--- a/docs/Config.md
+++ b/docs/Config.md
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ gui:
   showCommandLog: true
   showIcons: false
   commandLogSize: 8
+  splitDiff: 'auto' # one of 'auto' | 'always'
 git:
   paging:
     colorArg: always
diff --git a/pkg/config/user_config.go b/pkg/config/user_config.go
index 900dd2e97..5c90f85a7 100644
--- a/pkg/config/user_config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/user_config.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ type GuiConfig struct {
 	ShowBottomLine           bool               `yaml:"showBottomLine"`
 	ShowIcons                bool               `yaml:"showIcons"`
 	CommandLogSize           int                `yaml:"commandLogSize"`
+	SplitDiff                string             `yaml:"splitDiff"`
 }
 
 type ThemeConfig struct {
@@ -360,6 +361,7 @@ func GetDefaultConfig() *UserConfig {
 			ShowRandomTip:            true,
 			ShowIcons:                false,
 			CommandLogSize:           8,
+			SplitDiff:                "auto",
 		},
 		Git: GitConfig{
 			Paging: PagingConfig{
diff --git a/pkg/gui/files_panel.go b/pkg/gui/files_panel.go
index 765e33e4c..d4e156ccb 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/files_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/files_panel.go
@@ -53,33 +53,34 @@ func (gui *Gui) filesRenderToMain() error {
 
 	gui.resetMergeStateWithLock()
 
-	cmdObj := gui.git.WorkingTree.WorktreeFileDiffCmdObj(node, false, !node.GetHasUnstagedChanges() && node.GetHasStagedChanges(), gui.IgnoreWhitespaceInDiffView)
-
 	mainContext := gui.State.Contexts.Normal
 	if node.File != nil {
 		mainContext = gui.State.Contexts.Staging
 	}
 
+	split := gui.c.UserConfig.Gui.SplitDiff == "always" || (node.GetHasUnstagedChanges() && node.GetHasStagedChanges())
+	mainShowsStaged := !split && node.GetHasStagedChanges()
+
+	cmdObj := gui.git.WorkingTree.WorktreeFileDiffCmdObj(node, false, mainShowsStaged, gui.IgnoreWhitespaceInDiffView)
 	refreshOpts := refreshMainOpts{main: &viewUpdateOpts{
 		title:   gui.c.Tr.UnstagedChanges,
 		task:    NewRunPtyTask(cmdObj.GetCmd()),
 		context: mainContext,
 	}}
-
-	if node.GetHasUnstagedChanges() {
-		if node.GetHasStagedChanges() {
-			cmdObj := gui.git.WorkingTree.WorktreeFileDiffCmdObj(node, false, true, gui.IgnoreWhitespaceInDiffView)
-
-			refreshOpts.secondary = &viewUpdateOpts{
-				title:   gui.c.Tr.StagedChanges,
-				task:    NewRunPtyTask(cmdObj.GetCmd()),
-				context: mainContext,
-			}
-		}
-	} else {
+	if mainShowsStaged {
 		refreshOpts.main.title = gui.c.Tr.StagedChanges
 	}
 
+	if split {
+		cmdObj := gui.git.WorkingTree.WorktreeFileDiffCmdObj(node, false, true, gui.IgnoreWhitespaceInDiffView)
+
+		refreshOpts.secondary = &viewUpdateOpts{
+			title:   gui.c.Tr.StagedChanges,
+			task:    NewRunPtyTask(cmdObj.GetCmd()),
+			context: mainContext,
+		}
+	}
+
 	return gui.refreshMainViews(refreshOpts)
 }