diff --git a/git-status.el b/git-status.el
index b2c1a258..6dace2b1 100644
--- a/git-status.el
+++ b/git-status.el
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@
   (suppress-keymap gits-keymap)
   (define-key gits-keymap (kbd "g") 'git-status)
   (define-key gits-keymap (kbd "S") 'git-stage-all)
-  (define-key gits-keymap (kbd "a") 'gits-add-thing-at-point)
+  (define-key gits-keymap (kbd "a") 'gits-stage-thing-at-point)
   (define-key gits-keymap (kbd "u") 'gits-unstage-thing-at-point)
   (define-key gits-keymap (kbd "i") 'gits-ignore-thing-at-point)
   (define-key gits-keymap (kbd "RET") 'gits-visit-thing-at-point)
@@ -250,11 +250,14 @@
 
 ;;; Staging
 
+(defun gits-write-diff-patch (info file)
+  (write-region (elt info 1) (elt info 2) file))
+
 (defun gits-write-hunk-patch (info file)
   (write-region (elt info 1) (elt info 2) file)
   (write-region (elt info 3) (elt info 4) file t))
 
-(defun gits-add-thing-at-point ()
+(defun gits-stage-thing-at-point ()
   (interactive)
   (let ((info (get-char-property (point) 'gits-info)))
     (if info
@@ -263,6 +266,9 @@
 	   (gits-run "git" "add" (cadr info)))
 	  ((hunk)
 	   (gits-write-hunk-patch info ".git/gits-tmp")
+	   (gits-run "git" "apply" "--cached" ".git/gits-tmp"))
+	  ((diff)
+	   (gits-write-diff-patch info ".git/gits-tmp")
 	   (gits-run "git" "apply" "--cached" ".git/gits-tmp"))))))
 
 (defun gits-unstage-thing-at-point ()
@@ -272,6 +278,9 @@
 	(case (car info)
 	  ((hunk)
 	   (gits-write-hunk-patch info ".git/gits-tmp")
+	   (gits-run "git" "apply" "--cached" "--reverse" ".git/gits-tmp"))
+	  ((diff)
+	   (gits-write-diff-patch info ".git/gits-tmp")
 	   (gits-run "git" "apply" "--cached" "--reverse" ".git/gits-tmp"))))))
 
 (defun gits-ignore-thing-at-point ()