diff --git a/git_cl.py b/git_cl.py
index 51d867dc0d..7ab09d77c6 100755
--- a/git_cl.py
+++ b/git_cl.py
@@ -760,7 +760,6 @@ class Settings(object):
     self.project = None
     self.force_https_commit_url = None
     self.pending_ref_prefix = None
-    self.git_number_footer = None
 
   def LazyUpdateIfNeeded(self):
     """Updates the settings from a codereview.settings file, if available."""
@@ -996,14 +995,6 @@ class Settings(object):
           'pending-ref-prefix', error_ok=True)
     return self.pending_ref_prefix
 
-  def GetHasGitNumberFooter(self):
-    # TODO(tandrii): this has to be removed after Rietveld is read-only.
-    # see also bugs http://crbug.com/642493 and http://crbug.com/600469.
-    if not self.git_number_footer:
-      self.git_number_footer = self._GetRietveldConfig(
-          'git-number-footer', error_ok=True)
-    return self.git_number_footer
-
   def _GetRietveldConfig(self, param, **kwargs):
     return self._GetConfig('rietveld.' + param, **kwargs)
 
@@ -1015,6 +1006,19 @@ class Settings(object):
     return RunGit(['config', param], **kwargs).strip()
 
 
+def ShouldGenerateGitNumberFooters():
+  """Decides depending on codereview.settings file in the current checkout HEAD.
+  """
+  # TODO(tandrii): this has to be removed after Rietveld is read-only.
+  # see also bugs http://crbug.com/642493 and http://crbug.com/600469.
+  cr_settings_file = FindCodereviewSettingsFile()
+  if not cr_settings_file:
+    return False
+  keyvals = gclient_utils.ParseCodereviewSettingsContent(
+      cr_settings_file.read())
+  return keyvals.get('generate-git-number-footers', '').lower() == 'true'
+
+
 def ShortBranchName(branch):
   """Convert a name like 'refs/heads/foo' to just 'foo'."""
   return branch.replace('refs/heads/', '', 1)
@@ -3210,7 +3214,6 @@ def LoadCodereviewSettingsFromFile(fileobj):
   SetProperty('cpplint-ignore-regex', 'LINT_IGNORE_REGEX', unset_error_ok=True)
   SetProperty('project', 'PROJECT', unset_error_ok=True)
   SetProperty('pending-ref-prefix', 'PENDING_REF_PREFIX', unset_error_ok=True)
-  SetProperty('git-number-footer', 'GIT_NUMBER_FOOTER', unset_error_ok=True)
   SetProperty('run-post-upload-hook', 'RUN_POST_UPLOAD_HOOK',
               unset_error_ok=True)
 
diff --git a/tests/git_cl_test.py b/tests/git_cl_test.py
index bf0f002b74..81969a5364 100755
--- a/tests/git_cl_test.py
+++ b/tests/git_cl_test.py
@@ -370,8 +370,6 @@ class TestGitCl(TestCase):
       ((['git', 'config', '--unset-all', 'rietveld.project'],), CERR1),
       ((['git', 'config', '--unset-all', 'rietveld.pending-ref-prefix'],),
         CERR1),
-      ((['git', 'config', '--unset-all', 'rietveld.git-number-footer'],),
-        CERR1),
       ((['git', 'config', '--unset-all', 'rietveld.run-post-upload-hook'],),
         CERR1),
       ((['git', 'config', 'gerrit.host', 'true'],), ''),
@@ -930,6 +928,30 @@ class TestGitCl(TestCase):
     ]
     git_cl.main(['land'])
 
+  def test_ShouldGenerateGitNumberFooters(self):
+    self.mock(git_cl, 'FindCodereviewSettingsFile', lambda: StringIO.StringIO(
+      'generate-git-number-footers: true\n'
+    ))
+    self.assertTrue(git_cl.ShouldGenerateGitNumberFooters())
+
+    self.mock(git_cl, 'FindCodereviewSettingsFile', lambda: StringIO.StringIO(
+      'generate-git-number-footers: false\n'
+    ))
+    self.assertFalse(git_cl.ShouldGenerateGitNumberFooters())
+
+    self.mock(git_cl, 'FindCodereviewSettingsFile', lambda: StringIO.StringIO(
+      'generate-git-number-footers: anything but true is false\n'
+    ))
+    self.assertFalse(git_cl.ShouldGenerateGitNumberFooters())
+
+    self.mock(git_cl, 'FindCodereviewSettingsFile', lambda: StringIO.StringIO(
+      "whatever: ignored"
+    ))
+    self.assertFalse(git_cl.ShouldGenerateGitNumberFooters())
+
+    self.mock(git_cl, 'FindCodereviewSettingsFile', lambda: None)
+    self.assertFalse(git_cl.ShouldGenerateGitNumberFooters())
+
   @classmethod
   def _gerrit_ensure_auth_calls(cls, issue=None, skip_auth_check=False):
     cmd = ['git', 'config', '--bool', 'gerrit.skip-ensure-authenticated']