diff --git a/Documentation/git-fast-import.txt b/Documentation/git-fast-import.txt
index 4415e6363..02bb49886 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-fast-import.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-fast-import.txt
@@ -948,6 +948,13 @@ cat-blob::
 	rather than wasting time on the early part of an import
 	before the unsupported command is detected.
 
+notes::
+	Require that the backend support the 'notemodify' (N)
+	subcommand to the 'commit' command.
+	Versions of fast-import not supporting notes will exit
+	with a message indicating so.
+
+
 `option`
 ~~~~~~~~
 Processes the specified option so that git fast-import behaves in a
diff --git a/fast-import.c b/fast-import.c
index 60f26fe47..970d8470e 100644
--- a/fast-import.c
+++ b/fast-import.c
@@ -2991,6 +2991,8 @@ static int parse_one_feature(const char *feature, int from_stream)
 		relative_marks_paths = 0;
 	} else if (!prefixcmp(feature, "force")) {
 		force_update = 1;
+	} else if (!strcmp(feature, "notes")) {
+		; /* do nothing; we have the feature */
 	} else {
 		return 0;
 	}
diff --git a/t/t9301-fast-import-notes.sh b/t/t9301-fast-import-notes.sh
index 7cf8cd8a2..463254c72 100755
--- a/t/t9301-fast-import-notes.sh
+++ b/t/t9301-fast-import-notes.sh
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ test_expect_success 'add notes with simple M command' '
 
 test_tick
 cat >input <<INPUT_END
+feature notes
 commit refs/notes/test
 committer $GIT_COMMITTER_NAME <$GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL> $GIT_COMMITTER_DATE
 data <<COMMIT