diff --git a/git-branchless-lib/src/core/config.rs b/git-branchless-lib/src/core/config.rs
index 69a80c069..4fe072c7a 100644
--- a/git-branchless-lib/src/core/config.rs
+++ b/git-branchless-lib/src/core/config.rs
@@ -108,6 +108,13 @@ pub fn get_smartlog_default_revset(repo: &Repo) -> eyre::Result<String> {
         })
 }
 
+/// Whether to reverse the smartlog direction by default
+#[instrument]
+pub fn get_smartlog_reverse(repo: &Repo) -> eyre::Result<bool> {
+    repo.get_readonly_config()?
+        .get_or("branchless.smartlog.reverse", false)
+}
+
 /// Get the default comment character.
 #[instrument]
 pub fn get_comment_char(repo: &Repo) -> eyre::Result<char> {
diff --git a/git-branchless-lib/src/core/formatting.rs b/git-branchless-lib/src/core/formatting.rs
index a228a0975..4da041a24 100644
--- a/git-branchless-lib/src/core/formatting.rs
+++ b/git-branchless-lib/src/core/formatting.rs
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ pub struct Glyphs {
     /// commit or merged from this parent commit.
     pub commit_merge: &'static str,
 
+    /// Alternative character for `commit_merge` when the smartlog orientation
+    /// is reversed.
+    pub commit_merge_rev: &'static str,
+
     /// Character used to point to the currently-checked-out branch.
     pub branch_arrow: &'static str,
 
@@ -179,6 +183,7 @@ impl Glyphs {
             commit_main_obsolete_head: "%",
             commit_omitted: "#",
             commit_merge: "&",
+            commit_merge_rev: "&",
             branch_arrow: ">",
             bullet_point: "-",
             cycle_arrow: ">",
@@ -204,6 +209,7 @@ impl Glyphs {
             commit_obsolete_head: "⦻",
             commit_omitted: "◌",
             commit_merge: "↓",
+            commit_merge_rev: "↑",
             commit_main: "◇",
             commit_main_head: "◆",
             commit_main_obsolete: "✕",
@@ -223,6 +229,7 @@ impl Glyphs {
     pub fn reverse_order(mut self, reverse: bool) -> Self {
         if reverse {
             std::mem::swap(&mut self.split, &mut self.merge);
+            std::mem::swap(&mut self.commit_merge, &mut self.commit_merge_rev);
         }
         self
     }
diff --git a/git-branchless-opts/src/lib.rs b/git-branchless-opts/src/lib.rs
index 131eea0e1..1ed27995e 100644
--- a/git-branchless-opts/src/lib.rs
+++ b/git-branchless-opts/src/lib.rs
@@ -340,8 +340,9 @@ pub struct SmartlogArgs {
     #[clap(value_parser)]
     pub revset: Option<Revset>,
 
+    /// (Deprecated)
     /// Print the smartlog in the opposite of the usual order, with the latest
-    /// commits first.
+    /// commits first. Can be configured via `branchless.smartlog.reverse`.
     #[clap(long)]
     pub reverse: bool,
 
diff --git a/git-branchless-smartlog/src/lib.rs b/git-branchless-smartlog/src/lib.rs
index e3b3bdc3f..0677ac5e6 100644
--- a/git-branchless-smartlog/src/lib.rs
+++ b/git-branchless-smartlog/src/lib.rs
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ use std::time::SystemTime;
 use git_branchless_invoke::CommandContext;
 use git_branchless_opts::{Revset, SmartlogArgs};
 use lib::core::config::{
-    get_hint_enabled, get_hint_string, get_smartlog_default_revset, print_hint_suppression_notice,
-    Hint,
+    get_hint_enabled, get_hint_string, get_smartlog_default_revset, get_smartlog_reverse,
+    print_hint_suppression_notice, Hint,
 };
 use lib::core::repo_ext::RepoExt;
 use lib::core::rewrite::find_rewrite_target;
@@ -747,6 +747,7 @@ mod render {
         /// The options to use when resolving the revset.
         pub resolve_revset_options: ResolveRevsetOptions,
 
+        /// Deprecated
         /// Reverse the ordering of items in the smartlog output, list the most
         /// recent commits first.
         pub reverse: bool,
@@ -825,8 +826,22 @@ pub fn smartlog(
         exact,
     )?;
 
+    if reverse {
+        print!(
+            "\
+branchless: WARNING: The `--reverse` flag is deprecated.
+branchless: Please use the `branchless.smartlog.reverse` configuration option.
+"
+        );
+    }
+    let reverse_cfg = get_smartlog_reverse(&repo)?;
+    let reverse_value = match (reverse_cfg, reverse) {
+        (.., true) => true,
+        _ => reverse_cfg,
+    };
+
     let mut lines = render_graph(
-        &effects.reverse_order(reverse),
+        &effects.reverse_order(reverse_value),
         &repo,
         &dag,
         &graph,
@@ -849,7 +864,7 @@ pub fn smartlog(
         ],
     )?
     .into_iter();
-    while let Some(line) = if reverse {
+    while let Some(line) = if reverse_value {
         lines.next_back()
     } else {
         lines.next()
diff --git a/git-branchless-smartlog/tests/test_smartlog.rs b/git-branchless-smartlog/tests/test_smartlog.rs
index 2b53bd6e3..505cc82f7 100644
--- a/git-branchless-smartlog/tests/test_smartlog.rs
+++ b/git-branchless-smartlog/tests/test_smartlog.rs
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ fn test_merge_commit_reverse_order() -> eyre::Result<()> {
     let git = make_git()?;
 
     git.init_repo()?;
+    git.run(&["config", "branchless.smartlog.reverse", "true"])?;
     git.run(&["checkout", "-b", "test1", "master"])?;
     git.commit_file("test1", 1)?;
     git.run(&["checkout", "-b", "test2and3", "master"])?;
@@ -196,7 +197,7 @@ fn test_merge_commit_reverse_order() -> eyre::Result<()> {
         },
     )?;
 
-    let (stdout, _) = git.branchless("smartlog", &["--reverse"])?;
+    let (stdout, _) = git.branchless("smartlog", &[])?;
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @r###"
     @ fa4e4e1 (> test2and3) Merge branch 'test1' into test2and3
     |\
@@ -499,7 +500,7 @@ fn test_smartlog_hint_abandoned_except_current_commit() -> eyre::Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-/// When --reverse is specified hints still appear at the end of output
+/// When branchless.smartlog.reverse is `true`, hints still appear at the end of output
 #[test]
 fn test_smartlog_hint_abandoned_reverse_order() -> eyre::Result<()> {
     let git = make_git()?;
@@ -508,6 +509,7 @@ fn test_smartlog_hint_abandoned_reverse_order() -> eyre::Result<()> {
         return Ok(());
     }
     git.init_repo()?;
+    git.run(&["config", "branchless.smartlog.reverse", "true"])?;
 
     git.detach_head()?;
     git.commit_file("test1", 1)?;
@@ -515,7 +517,7 @@ fn test_smartlog_hint_abandoned_reverse_order() -> eyre::Result<()> {
     git.run(&["checkout", "HEAD^"])?;
     git.run(&["commit", "--amend", "-m", "amended test1"])?;
 
-    let (stdout, _) = git.branchless("smartlog", &["--reverse"])?;
+    let (stdout, _) = git.branchless("smartlog", &[])?;
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @r###"
     o 96d1c37 create test2.txt
     |