--- a/lib/grit/repo.rb
+++ b/lib/grit/repo.rb
@@ -245,6 +245,35 @@ module Grit
       end
     end
     
+    # The list of alternates for this repo
+    #
+    # Returns Array[String] (pathnames of alternates)
+    def alternates
+      alternates_path = File.join(self.path, *%w{objects info alternates})
+      
+      if File.exist?(alternates_path)
+        File.read(alternates_path).strip.split("\n")
+      else
+        []
+      end
+    end
+    
+    # Sets the alternates
+    #   +alts+ is the Array of String paths representing the alternates
+    #
+    # Returns nothing
+    def alternates=(alts)
+      alts.each do |alt|
+        unless File.exist?(alt)
+          raise "Could not set alternates. Alternate path #{alt} must exist"
+        end
+      end
+      
+      File.open(File.join(self.path, *%w{objects info alternates}), 'w') do |f|
+        f.write alts.join("\n")
+      end
+    end
+    
     # Pretty object inspection
     def inspect
       %Q{#<Grit::Repo "#{@path}">}

--- a/test/test_repo.rb
+++ b/test/test_repo.rb
@@ -196,6 +196,51 @@ class TestRepo < Test::Unit::TestCase
     @r.disable_daemon_serve
   end
   
+  # alternates
+  
+  def test_alternates_with_two_alternates
+    File.expects(:exist?).with('/Users/tom/dev/mojombo/grit/.git/objects/info/alternates').returns(true)
+    File.expects(:read).returns("/path/to/repo1/.git/objects\n/path/to/repo2.git/objects\n")
+    
+    assert_equal ["/path/to/repo1/.git/objects", "/path/to/repo2.git/objects"], @r.alternates
+  end
+  
+  def test_alternates_no_file
+    File.expects(:exist?).returns(false)
+    
+    assert_equal [], @r.alternates
+  end
+  
+  # alternates=
+  
+  def test_alternates_setter_ok
+    alts = %w{/path/to/repo.git/objects /path/to/repo2.git/objects}
+    
+    alts.each do |alt|
+      File.expects(:exist?).with(alt).returns(true)
+    end
+    
+    File.any_instance.expects(:write).with(alts.join("\n"))
+    
+    assert_nothing_raised do
+      @r.alternates = alts
+    end
+  end
+  
+  def test_alternates_setter_bad
+    alts = %w{/path/to/repo.git/objects}
+    
+    alts.each do |alt|
+      File.expects(:exist?).with(alt).returns(false)
+    end
+    
+    File.any_instance.expects(:write).never
+    
+    assert_raise RuntimeError do
+      @r.alternates = alts
+    end
+  end
+  
   # inspect
   
   def test_inspect