diff --git a/spec/git-repository-async-spec.js b/spec/git-repository-async-spec.js
index bbaa7ef75..b59bc35ab 100644
--- a/spec/git-repository-async-spec.js
+++ b/spec/git-repository-async-spec.js
@@ -45,6 +45,19 @@ describe('GitRepositoryAsync', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  describe('.openNodeGitRepository()', () => {
+    it('returns a new repository instance', async () => {
+      repo = openFixture('master.git')
+
+      const originalRepo = await repo.getRepo()
+      expect(originalRepo).not.toBeNull()
+
+      const nodeGitRepo = repo.openNodeGitRepository()
+      expect(nodeGitRepo).not.toBeNull()
+      expect(originalRepo).not.toBe(nodeGitRepo)
+    })
+  })
+
   describe('.getPath()', () => {
     it('returns the repository path for a repository path', async () => {
       repo = openFixture('master.git')
diff --git a/src/git-repository-async.js b/src/git-repository-async.js
index 295fa5ca2..f48988f91 100644
--- a/src/git-repository-async.js
+++ b/src/git-repository-async.js
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ export default class GitRepositoryAsync {
     this.emitter = new Emitter()
     this.subscriptions = new CompositeDisposable()
     this.pathStatusCache = {}
-    this.repoPromise = Git.Repository.openExt(_path, 0, '')
+    // NB: This needs to happen before the following .openNodeGitRepository
+    //  call.
+    this.openedPath = _path
+    this.repoPromise = this.openNodeGitRepository()
     this.isCaseInsensitive = fs.isCaseInsensitive()
     this.upstreamByPath = {}
 
@@ -851,6 +854,16 @@ export default class GitRepositoryAsync {
       })
   }
 
+  // Open a new instance of the underlying {NodeGit.Repository}.
+  //
+  // By opening multiple connections to the same underlying repository, users
+  // can safely access the same repository concurrently.
+  //
+  // Returns the new {NodeGit.Repository}.
+  openNodeGitRepository () {
+    return Git.Repository.openExt(this.openedPath, 0, '')
+  }
+
   // Section: Private
   // ================