diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesHandlerTest.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesHandlerTest.java
index 50d020c..0717379 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesHandlerTest.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesHandlerTest.java
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 /*
+ * Copyright (C) 2015, 2017 Ivan Motsch <ivan.motsch@bsiag.com>
+ * and other copyright owners as documented in the project's IP log.
+ *
  * This program and the accompanying materials are made available
  * under the terms of the Eclipse Distribution License v1.0 which
  * accompanies this distribution, is reproduced below, and is
@@ -259,25 +262,230 @@ public void testRelativePaths() throws Exception {
 		setupRepo("sub/ global", "sub/** init",
 				"sub/** top_sub\n*.txt top",
 				"sub/** subsub\nsub/ subsub2\n*.txt foo");
-		// The last two sub/** and sub/ rules are in sub/.gitattributes. They
-		// must not apply to any of the files here. They would match for a
-		// further subdirectory sub/sub.
+		// The last sub/** is in sub/.gitattributes. It must not
+		// apply to any of the files here. It would match for a
+		// further subdirectory sub/sub. The sub/ rules must match
+		// only for directories.
 		walk = beginWalk();
 		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
 		assertIteration(D, "sub", attrs("global"));
-		assertIteration(F, "sub/.gitattributes", attrs("init top_sub global"));
-		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt", attrs("init foo top top_sub global"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/.gitattributes", attrs("init top_sub"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt", attrs("init foo top top_sub"));
 		endWalk();
 		// All right, let's see that they *do* apply in sub/sub:
 		writeTrashFile("sub/sub/b.txt", "b");
 		walk = beginWalk();
 		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
 		assertIteration(D, "sub", attrs("global"));
-		assertIteration(F, "sub/.gitattributes", attrs("init top_sub global"));
-		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt", attrs("init foo top top_sub global"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/.gitattributes", attrs("init top_sub"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt", attrs("init foo top top_sub"));
 		assertIteration(D, "sub/sub", attrs("init subsub2 top_sub global"));
 		assertIteration(F, "sub/sub/b.txt",
-				attrs("init foo subsub2 subsub top top_sub global"));
+				attrs("init foo subsub top top_sub"));
+		endWalk();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testNestedMatchNot() throws Exception {
+		setupRepo(null, null, "*.xml xml\n*.jar jar", null);
+		writeTrashFile("foo.xml/bar.jar", "b");
+		writeTrashFile("foo.xml/bar.xml", "bx");
+		writeTrashFile("sub/b.jar", "bj");
+		writeTrashFile("sub/b.xml", "bx");
+		// On foo.xml/bar.jar we must not have 'xml'
+		walk = beginWalk();
+		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo.xml", attrs("xml"));
+		assertIteration(F, "foo.xml/bar.jar", attrs("jar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "foo.xml/bar.xml", attrs("xml"));
+		assertIteration(D, "sub");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/b.jar", attrs("jar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/b.xml", attrs("xml"));
+		endWalk();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testNestedMatch() throws Exception {
+		// See also CGitAttributeTest.testNestedMatch()
+		setupRepo(null, null, "foo/ xml\nsub/foo/ sub\n*.jar jar", null);
+		writeTrashFile("foo/bar.jar", "b");
+		writeTrashFile("foo/bar.xml", "bx");
+		writeTrashFile("sub/b.jar", "bj");
+		writeTrashFile("sub/b.xml", "bx");
+		writeTrashFile("sub/foo/b.jar", "bf");
+		walk = beginWalk();
+		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo", attrs("xml"));
+		assertIteration(F, "foo/bar.jar", attrs("jar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "foo/bar.xml");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/b.jar", attrs("jar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/b.xml");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/foo", attrs("sub xml"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/foo/b.jar", attrs("jar"));
+		endWalk();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testNestedMatchRecursive() throws Exception {
+		setupRepo(null, null, "foo/** xml\n*.jar jar", null);
+		writeTrashFile("foo/bar.jar", "b");
+		writeTrashFile("foo/bar.xml", "bx");
+		writeTrashFile("sub/b.jar", "bj");
+		writeTrashFile("sub/b.xml", "bx");
+		writeTrashFile("sub/foo/b.jar", "bf");
+		// On foo.xml/bar.jar we must not have 'xml'
+		walk = beginWalk();
+		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo");
+		assertIteration(F, "foo/bar.jar", attrs("jar xml"));
+		assertIteration(F, "foo/bar.xml", attrs("xml"));
+		assertIteration(D, "sub");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/b.jar", attrs("jar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/b.xml");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/foo");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/foo/b.jar", attrs("jar"));
+		endWalk();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testStarMatchOnSlashNot() throws Exception {
+		setupRepo(null, null, "s*xt bar", null);
+		writeTrashFile("sub/a.txt", "1");
+		writeTrashFile("foo/sext", "2");
+		writeTrashFile("foo/s.txt", "3");
+		walk = beginWalk();
+		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo");
+		assertIteration(F, "foo/s.txt", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "foo/sext", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(D, "sub");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt");
+		endWalk();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testPrefixMatchNot() throws Exception {
+		setupRepo(null, null, "sub/new bar", null);
+		writeTrashFile("sub/new/foo.txt", "1");
+		walk = beginWalk();
+		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/new", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/new/foo.txt");
+		endWalk();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testComplexPathMatch() throws Exception {
+		setupRepo(null, null, "s[t-v]b/n[de]w bar", null);
+		writeTrashFile("sub/new/foo.txt", "1");
+		writeTrashFile("sub/ndw", "2");
+		walk = beginWalk();
+		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/ndw", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/new", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/new/foo.txt");
+		endWalk();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testStarPathMatch() throws Exception {
+		setupRepo(null, null, "sub/new/* bar", null);
+		writeTrashFile("sub/new/foo.txt", "1");
+		writeTrashFile("sub/new/lower/foo.txt", "2");
+		walk = beginWalk();
+		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/new");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/new/foo.txt", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/new/lower", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/new/lower/foo.txt");
+		endWalk();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testDirectoryMatchSubSimple() throws Exception {
+		setupRepo(null, null, "sub/new/ bar", null);
+		writeTrashFile("sub/new/foo.txt", "1");
+		writeTrashFile("foo/sub/new/foo.txt", "2");
+		writeTrashFile("sub/sub/new/foo.txt", "3");
+		walk = beginWalk();
+		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo/sub");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo/sub/new");
+		assertIteration(F, "foo/sub/new/foo.txt");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/new", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/new/foo.txt");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/sub");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/sub/new");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/sub/new/foo.txt");
+		endWalk();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testDirectoryMatchSubRecursive() throws Exception {
+		setupRepo(null, null, "**/sub/new/ bar", null);
+		writeTrashFile("sub/new/foo.txt", "1");
+		writeTrashFile("foo/sub/new/foo.txt", "2");
+		walk = beginWalk();
+		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo/sub");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo/sub/new", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "foo/sub/new/foo.txt");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/new", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/new/foo.txt");
+		endWalk();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testDirectoryMatchSubComplex() throws Exception {
+		setupRepo(null, null, "s[uv]b/n*/ bar", null);
+		writeTrashFile("sub/new/foo.txt", "1");
+		writeTrashFile("foo/sub/new/foo.txt", "2");
+		walk = beginWalk();
+		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo/sub");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo/sub/new");
+		assertIteration(F, "foo/sub/new/foo.txt");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/new", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/new/foo.txt");
+		endWalk();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testDirectoryMatch() throws Exception {
+		setupRepo(null, null, "new/ bar", null);
+		writeTrashFile("sub/new/foo.txt", "1");
+		writeTrashFile("foo/sub/new/foo.txt", "2");
+		writeTrashFile("foo/new", "3");
+		walk = beginWalk();
+		assertIteration(F, ".gitattributes");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo");
+		assertIteration(F, "foo/new");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo/sub");
+		assertIteration(D, "foo/sub/new", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "foo/sub/new/foo.txt");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub");
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/a.txt");
+		assertIteration(D, "sub/new", attrs("bar"));
+		assertIteration(F, "sub/new/foo.txt");
 		endWalk();
 	}
 
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesMatcherTest.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesMatcherTest.java
index e8dd952..23c416a 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesMatcherTest.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesMatcherTest.java
@@ -109,16 +109,16 @@ public void testFileNameWildcards() {
 		pattern = "/src/ne?";
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/a.c");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new.c");
 
 		//Test name-only fnmatcher matches
 		pattern = "ne?";
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/a.c");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/neb");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new.c");
 	}
@@ -169,16 +169,16 @@ public void testTargetWithoutLeadingSlash() {
 		pattern = "/src/ne?";
 		assertMatched(pattern, "src/new/");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "src/new");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "src/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "src/new/a/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "src/new/a/a.c");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "src/new.c");
 
 		//Test name-only fnmatcher matches
 		pattern = "ne?";
 		assertMatched(pattern, "src/new/");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "src/new");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "src/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "src/new/a/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "src/new/a/a.c");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "neb");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "src/new.c");
 	}
@@ -197,35 +197,50 @@ public void testParentDirectoryGitAttributes() {
 		pattern = "/src/new";
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/a.c");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new.c");
 
 		//Test child directory is matched, slash after name
 		pattern = "/src/new/";
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/a.c");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new.c");
 
 		//Test directory is matched by name only
 		pattern = "b1";
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/b1/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/b1/a.c");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/b2/file.c");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/bb1/file.c");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/file.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/bb1");
+		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a/b1");
 	}
 
 	@Test
 	public void testTrailingSlash() {
 		String pattern = "/src/";
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/a.c");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/srcA/");
+
+		pattern = "src/";
+		assertMatched(pattern, "src/");
+		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "src");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "foo/src/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "foo/src/bar/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "foo/src/bar/src");
+		assertMatched(pattern, "foo/src/");
+		assertMatched(pattern, "foo/src/bar/src/");
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -239,51 +254,58 @@ public void testNameOnlyMatches() {
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/test.stp");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/test.stp1");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/test.astp");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "test.stp/foo.bar");
+		assertMatched(pattern, "test.stp");
+		assertMatched(pattern, "test.stp/");
+		assertMatched(pattern, "test.stp/test.stp");
 
 		//Test matches for name-only, applies to file name or folder name
 		pattern = "src";
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/new/src/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/new/src/a.c");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/file/src");
 
 		//Test matches for name-only, applies only to folder names
 		pattern = "src/";
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/new/src/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/new/src/a.c");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/file/src");
+		assertMatched(pattern, "/file/src/");
 
 		//Test matches for name-only, applies to file name or folder name
 		//With a small wildcard
 		pattern = "?rc";
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/new/src/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/new/src/a.c");
+		assertMatched(pattern, "/new/src/");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/file/src");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/");
 
 		//Test matches for name-only, applies to file name or folder name
 		//With a small wildcard
 		pattern = "?r[a-c]";
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/new/src/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/src/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/new/src/a.c");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/file/src");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/src/");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/srb/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/grb/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/new/crb/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/srb/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/grb/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/new/crb/a.c");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/file/3rb");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/xrb/");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/3ra/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/5ra/new/a.c");
-		assertMatched(pattern, "/new/1ra/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/3ra/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/5ra/new/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/new/1ra/a.c");
+		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/new/1ra/a.c/");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/file/dra");
+		assertMatched(pattern, "/file/dra/");
 		assertMatched(pattern, "/era/");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/crg");
 		assertNotMatched(pattern, "/cr3");
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/CGitAttributesTest.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/CGitAttributesTest.java
index e0a6d16..c8ff6c8 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/CGitAttributesTest.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/CGitAttributesTest.java
@@ -202,6 +202,13 @@ private void assertSameAsCGit() throws Exception {
 	}
 
 	@Test
+	public void testBug508568() throws Exception {
+		createFiles("foo.xml/bar.jar", "sub/foo.xml/bar.jar");
+		writeTrashFile(".gitattributes", "*.xml xml\n" + "*.jar jar\n");
+		assertSameAsCGit();
+	}
+
+	@Test
 	public void testRelativePath() throws Exception {
 		createFiles("sub/foo.txt");
 		writeTrashFile("sub/.gitattributes", "sub/** sub\n" + "*.txt txt\n");
@@ -225,6 +232,44 @@ public void testNestedMatchNot() throws Exception {
 	}
 
 	@Test
+	public void testNestedMatch() throws Exception {
+		// This is an interesting test. At the time of this writing, the
+		// gitignore documentation says: "In other words, foo/ will match a
+		// directory foo AND PATHS UNDERNEATH IT, but will not match a regular
+		// file or a symbolic link foo". (Emphasis added.) And gitattributes is
+		// supposed to follow the same rules. But the documentation appears to
+		// lie: C-git will *not* apply the attribute "xml" to *any* files in
+		// any subfolder "foo" here. It will only apply the "jar" attribute
+		// to the three *.jar files.
+		//
+		// The point is probably that ignores are handled top-down, and once a
+		// directory "foo" is matched (here: on paths "foo" and "sub/foo" by
+		// pattern "foo/"), the directory is excluded and the gitignore
+		// documentation also says: "It is not possible to re-include a file if
+		// a parent directory of that file is excluded." So once the pattern
+		// "foo/" has matched, it appears as if everything beneath would also be
+		// matched.
+		//
+		// But not so for gitattributes! The foo/ rule only matches the
+		// directory itself, but not anything beneath.
+		createFiles("foo/bar.jar", "foo/bar.xml", "sub/b.jar", "sub/b.xml",
+				"sub/foo/b.jar");
+		writeTrashFile(".gitattributes",
+				"foo/ xml\n" + "sub/foo/ sub\n" + "*.jar jar\n");
+		assertSameAsCGit();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testNestedMatchWithWildcard() throws Exception {
+		// See above.
+		createFiles("foo/bar.jar", "foo/bar.xml", "sub/b.jar", "sub/b.xml",
+				"sub/foo/b.jar");
+		writeTrashFile(".gitattributes",
+				"**/foo/ xml\n" + "*/foo/ sub\n" + "*.jar jar\n");
+		assertSameAsCGit();
+	}
+
+	@Test
 	public void testNestedMatchRecursive() throws Exception {
 		createFiles("foo/bar.jar", "foo/bar.xml", "sub/b.jar", "sub/b.xml",
 				"sub/foo/b.jar");
@@ -238,4 +283,53 @@ public void testStarMatchOnSlashNot() throws Exception {
 		writeTrashFile(".gitattributes", "s*xt bar");
 		assertSameAsCGit();
 	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testPrefixMatchNot() throws Exception {
+		createFiles("src/new/foo.txt");
+		writeTrashFile(".gitattributes", "src/new bar\n");
+		assertSameAsCGit();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testComplexPathMatchNot() throws Exception {
+		createFiles("src/new/foo.txt", "src/ndw");
+		writeTrashFile(".gitattributes", "s[p-s]c/n[de]w bar\n");
+		assertSameAsCGit();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testStarPathMatchNot() throws Exception {
+		createFiles("src/new/foo.txt", "src/ndw");
+		writeTrashFile(".gitattributes", "src/* bar\n");
+		assertSameAsCGit();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testDirectoryMatchSubSimple() throws Exception {
+		createFiles("src/new/foo.txt", "foo/src/new/foo.txt", "sub/src/new");
+		writeTrashFile(".gitattributes", "src/new/ bar\n");
+		assertSameAsCGit();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testDirectoryMatchSubRecursive() throws Exception {
+		createFiles("src/new/foo.txt", "foo/src/new/foo.txt", "sub/src/new");
+		writeTrashFile(".gitattributes", "**/src/new/ bar\n");
+		assertSameAsCGit();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testDirectoryMatchSubComplex() throws Exception {
+		createFiles("src/new/foo.txt", "foo/src/new/foo.txt", "sub/src/new");
+		writeTrashFile(".gitattributes", "s[rs]c/n*/ bar\n");
+		assertSameAsCGit();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testDirectoryMatch() throws Exception {
+		createFiles("src/new/foo.txt", "foo/src/new/foo.txt", "sub/src/new");
+		writeTrashFile(".gitattributes", "new/ bar\n");
+		assertSameAsCGit();
+	}
 }
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/api/DescribeCommand.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/api/DescribeCommand.java
index d365171..68b1bd9 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/api/DescribeCommand.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/api/DescribeCommand.java
@@ -209,7 +209,8 @@ private Optional<Ref> getBestMatch(List<Ref> tags) {
 			// Find the first tag that matches one of the matchers; precedence according to matcher definition order
 			for (IMatcher matcher : matchers) {
 				Optional<Ref> match = tags.stream()
-						.filter(tag -> matcher.matches(tag.getName(), false))
+						.filter(tag -> matcher.matches(tag.getName(), false,
+								false))
 						.findFirst();
 				if (match.isPresent()) {
 					return match;
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesRule.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesRule.java
index b88a16e..3cf5de8 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesRule.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/attributes/AttributesRule.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2010, Red Hat Inc.
+ * Copyright (C) 2010, 2017 Red Hat Inc.
  * and other copyright owners as documented in the project's IP log.
  *
  * This program and the accompanying materials are made available
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ public boolean isMatch(String relativeTarget, boolean isDirectory) {
 			return false;
 		if (relativeTarget.length() == 0)
 			return false;
-		boolean match = matcher.matches(relativeTarget, isDirectory);
+		boolean match = matcher.matches(relativeTarget, isDirectory, true);
 		return match;
 	}
 
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/FastIgnoreRule.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/FastIgnoreRule.java
index ef67d49..7298a08 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/FastIgnoreRule.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/FastIgnoreRule.java
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ public boolean isMatch(String path, boolean directory) {
 			return false;
 		if (path.length() == 0)
 			return false;
-		boolean match = matcher.matches(path, directory);
+		boolean match = matcher.matches(path, directory, false);
 		return match;
 	}
 
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/IMatcher.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/IMatcher.java
index 61f7b83..5b184cb 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/IMatcher.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/IMatcher.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2014, Andrey Loskutov <loskutov@gmx.de>
+ * Copyright (C) 2014, 2017 Andrey Loskutov <loskutov@gmx.de>
  * and other copyright owners as documented in the project's IP log.
  *
  * This program and the accompanying materials are made available
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ public interface IMatcher {
 	 */
 	public static final IMatcher NO_MATCH = new IMatcher() {
 		@Override
-		public boolean matches(String path, boolean assumeDirectory) {
+		public boolean matches(String path, boolean assumeDirectory,
+				boolean pathMatch) {
 			return false;
 		}
 
@@ -71,9 +72,14 @@ public boolean matches(String segment, int startIncl, int endExcl,
 	 * @param assumeDirectory
 	 *            true to assume this path as directory (even if it doesn't end
 	 *            with a slash)
+	 * @param pathMatch
+	 *            {@code true} if the match is for the full path: prefix-only
+	 *            matches are not allowed, and {@link NameMatcher}s must match
+	 *            only the last component (if they can -- they may not, if they
+	 *            are anchored at the beginning)
 	 * @return true if this matcher pattern matches given string
 	 */
-	boolean matches(String path, boolean assumeDirectory);
+	boolean matches(String path, boolean assumeDirectory, boolean pathMatch);
 
 	/**
 	 * Matches only part of given string
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/NameMatcher.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/NameMatcher.java
index 0065123..9667837 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/NameMatcher.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/NameMatcher.java
@@ -64,26 +64,59 @@ public class NameMatcher extends AbstractMatcher {
 			pattern = Strings.deleteBackslash(pattern);
 		}
 		beginning = pattern.length() == 0 ? false : pattern.charAt(0) == slash;
-		if (!beginning)
+		if (!beginning) {
 			this.subPattern = pattern;
-		else
+		} else {
 			this.subPattern = pattern.substring(1);
+		}
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public boolean matches(String path, boolean assumeDirectory) {
-		int end = 0;
-		int firstChar = 0;
-		do {
-			firstChar = getFirstNotSlash(path, end);
-			end = getFirstSlash(path, firstChar);
-			boolean match = matches(path, firstChar, end, assumeDirectory);
-			if (match)
+	public boolean matches(String path, boolean assumeDirectory,
+			boolean pathMatch) {
+		// A NameMatcher's pattern does not contain a slash.
+		int start = 0;
+		int stop = path.length();
+		if (stop > 0 && path.charAt(0) == slash) {
+			start++;
+		}
+		if (pathMatch) {
+			// Can match only after the last slash
+			int lastSlash = path.lastIndexOf(slash, stop - 1);
+			if (lastSlash == stop - 1) {
+				// Skip trailing slash
+				lastSlash = path.lastIndexOf(slash, lastSlash - 1);
+				stop--;
+			}
+			boolean match;
+			if (lastSlash < start) {
+				match = matches(path, start, stop, assumeDirectory);
+			} else {
+				// Can't match if the path contains a slash if the pattern is
+				// anchored at the beginning
+				match = !beginning
+						&& matches(path, lastSlash + 1, stop, assumeDirectory);
+			}
+			if (match && dirOnly) {
+				match = assumeDirectory;
+			}
+			return match;
+		}
+		while (start < stop) {
+			int end = path.indexOf(slash, start);
+			if (end < 0) {
+				end = stop;
+			}
+			if (end > start && matches(path, start, end, assumeDirectory)) {
 				// make sure the directory matches: either if we are done with
 				// segment and there is next one, or if the directory is assumed
-				return !dirOnly ? true : (end > 0 && end != path.length())
-						|| assumeDirectory;
-		} while (!beginning && end != path.length());
+				return !dirOnly || assumeDirectory || end < stop;
+			}
+			if (beginning) {
+				break;
+			}
+			start = end + 1;
+		}
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -92,25 +125,18 @@ public boolean matches(String segment, int startIncl, int endExcl,
 			boolean assumeDirectory) {
 		// faster local access, same as in string.indexOf()
 		String s = subPattern;
-		if (s.length() != (endExcl - startIncl))
+		int length = s.length();
+		if (length != (endExcl - startIncl)) {
 			return false;
-		for (int i = 0; i < s.length(); i++) {
+		}
+		for (int i = 0; i < length; i++) {
 			char c1 = s.charAt(i);
 			char c2 = segment.charAt(i + startIncl);
-			if (c1 != c2)
+			if (c1 != c2) {
 				return false;
+			}
 		}
 		return true;
 	}
 
-	private int getFirstNotSlash(String s, int start) {
-		int slashIdx = s.indexOf(slash, start);
-		return slashIdx == start ? start + 1 : start;
-	}
-
-	private int getFirstSlash(String s, int start) {
-		int slashIdx = s.indexOf(slash, start);
-		return slashIdx == -1 ? s.length() : slashIdx;
-	}
-
 }
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/PathMatcher.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/PathMatcher.java
index ce9ad80..85073ec 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/PathMatcher.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/PathMatcher.java
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.InvalidPatternException;
-import org.eclipse.jgit.ignore.FastIgnoreRule;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.ignore.internal.Strings.PatternState;
 
 /**
@@ -68,9 +67,10 @@ public class PathMatcher extends AbstractMatcher {
 
 	private final char slash;
 
-	private boolean beginning;
+	private final boolean beginning;
 
-	PathMatcher(String pattern, Character pathSeparator, boolean dirOnly)
+	private PathMatcher(String pattern, Character pathSeparator,
+			boolean dirOnly)
 			throws InvalidPatternException {
 		super(pattern, dirOnly);
 		slash = getPathSeparator(pathSeparator);
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ private boolean isSimplePathWithSegments(String path) {
 				&& count(path, slash, true) > 0;
 	}
 
-	static private List<IMatcher> createMatchers(List<String> segments,
+	private static List<IMatcher> createMatchers(List<String> segments,
 			Character pathSeparator, boolean dirOnly)
 			throws InvalidPatternException {
 		List<IMatcher> matchers = new ArrayList<>(segments.size());
@@ -171,10 +171,12 @@ private static IMatcher createNameMatcher0(String segment,
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public boolean matches(String path, boolean assumeDirectory) {
-		if (matchers == null)
-			return simpleMatch(path, assumeDirectory);
-		return iterate(path, 0, path.length(), assumeDirectory);
+	public boolean matches(String path, boolean assumeDirectory,
+			boolean pathMatch) {
+		if (matchers == null) {
+			return simpleMatch(path, assumeDirectory, pathMatch);
+		}
+		return iterate(path, 0, path.length(), assumeDirectory, pathMatch);
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -182,31 +184,31 @@ public boolean matches(String path, boolean assumeDirectory) {
 	 * wildcards or single segments (mean: this is multi-segment path which must
 	 * be at the beginning of the another string)
 	 */
-	private boolean simpleMatch(String path, boolean assumeDirectory) {
+	private boolean simpleMatch(String path, boolean assumeDirectory,
+			boolean pathMatch) {
 		boolean hasSlash = path.indexOf(slash) == 0;
-		if (beginning && !hasSlash)
+		if (beginning && !hasSlash) {
 			path = slash + path;
-
-		if (!beginning && hasSlash)
+		}
+		if (!beginning && hasSlash) {
 			path = path.substring(1);
-
-		if (path.equals(pattern))
-			// Exact match
-			if (dirOnly && !assumeDirectory)
-				// Directory expectations not met
-				return false;
-			else
-				// Directory expectations met
-				return true;
-
+		}
+		if (path.equals(pattern)) {
+			// Exact match: must meet directory expectations
+			return !dirOnly || assumeDirectory;
+		}
 		/*
 		 * Add slashes for startsWith check. This avoids matching e.g.
 		 * "/src/new" to /src/newfile" but allows "/src/new" to match
 		 * "/src/new/newfile", as is the git standard
 		 */
-		if (path.startsWith(pattern + FastIgnoreRule.PATH_SEPARATOR))
+		String prefix = pattern + slash;
+		if (pathMatch) {
+			return path.equals(prefix) && (!dirOnly || assumeDirectory);
+		}
+		if (path.startsWith(prefix)) {
 			return true;
-
+		}
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -217,8 +219,8 @@ public boolean matches(String segment, int startIncl, int endExcl,
 				"Path matcher works only on entire paths"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 	}
 
-	boolean iterate(final String path, final int startIncl, final int endExcl,
-			boolean assumeDirectory) {
+	private boolean iterate(final String path, final int startIncl,
+			final int endExcl, boolean assumeDirectory, boolean pathMatch) {
 		int matcher = 0;
 		int right = startIncl;
 		boolean match = false;
@@ -256,14 +258,26 @@ boolean iterate(final String path, final int startIncl, final int endExcl,
 				continue;
 			}
 			if (match) {
-				if (matchers.get(matcher) == WILD) {
+				boolean wasWild = matchers.get(matcher) == WILD;
+				if (wasWild) {
 					lastWildmatch = matcher;
 					// ** can match *nothing*: a/**/b match also a/b
 					right = left - 1;
 				}
 				matcher++;
 				if (matcher == matchers.size()) {
-					return true;
+					// We had a prefix match here.
+					if (!pathMatch) {
+						return true;
+					} else {
+						if (right == endExcl - 1) {
+							// Extra slash at the end: actually a full match.
+							// Must meet directory expectations
+							return !dirOnly || assumeDirectory;
+						}
+						// Prefix matches only if pattern ended with /**
+						return wasWild;
+					}
 				}
 			} else if (lastWildmatch != -1) {
 				matcher = lastWildmatch + 1;
@@ -274,7 +288,8 @@ boolean iterate(final String path, final int startIncl, final int endExcl,
 		}
 	}
 
-	boolean matches(int matcherIdx, String path, int startIncl, int endExcl,
+	private boolean matches(int matcherIdx, String path, int startIncl,
+			int endExcl,
 			boolean assumeDirectory) {
 		IMatcher matcher = matchers.get(matcherIdx);
 		return matcher.matches(path, startIncl, endExcl, assumeDirectory);
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/WildMatcher.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/WildMatcher.java
index 93ea13c..363b3ce 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/WildMatcher.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/ignore/internal/WildMatcher.java
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ private WildMatcher() {
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public final boolean matches(String path, boolean assumeDirectory) {
+	public final boolean matches(String path, boolean assumeDirectory,
+			boolean pathMatch) {
 		return true;
 	}