diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.markdown b/CONTRIBUTING.markdown
index fb217fb..843bbe6 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.markdown
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.markdown
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@ maintaining a clean, readable, history.  Squash and force push any requested
 changes to a pull request.  And if your [commit message
 sucks](https://commit.style), I'm not going to accept it.  Period.
 
+If your contribution involves adding a configuration option, you are going to
+need a very compelling justification for it.  Options add a maintenance
+burden, support burden, and documentation bloat, and oftentimes can be
+achieved much more simply with a custom map or autocommand.  If your option
+controls an underlying Git command, ask yourself why Git itself does not offer
+such configuration.
+
 Beyond that, don't be shy about asking before patching.  What takes you hours
 might take me minutes simply because I have both domain knowledge and a
 perverse knowledge of VimScript so vast that many would consider it a symptom