diff --git a/pre_commit/clientlib.py b/pre_commit/clientlib.py
index d458daef..77b92d4b 100644
--- a/pre_commit/clientlib.py
+++ b/pre_commit/clientlib.py
@@ -224,6 +224,11 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cfgv.Map(
     cfgv.OptionalRecurse(
         'default_language_version', DEFAULT_LANGUAGE_VERSION, {},
     ),
+    cfgv.Optional(
+        'default_stages',
+        cfgv.check_array(cfgv.check_one_of(C.STAGES)),
+        C.STAGES,
+    ),
     cfgv.Optional('exclude', cfgv.check_regex, '^$'),
     cfgv.Optional('fail_fast', cfgv.check_bool, False),
 )
diff --git a/pre_commit/commands/run.py b/pre_commit/commands/run.py
index f38b25c7..97d56b8d 100644
--- a/pre_commit/commands/run.py
+++ b/pre_commit/commands/run.py
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ def run(config_file, store, args, environ=os.environ):
             hook
             for hook in all_hooks(config, store)
             if not args.hook or hook.id == args.hook or hook.alias == args.hook
-            if not hook.stages or args.hook_stage in hook.stages
+            if args.hook_stage in hook.stages
         ]
 
         if args.hook and not hooks:
diff --git a/pre_commit/repository.py b/pre_commit/repository.py
index 76001fa1..1d92d753 100644
--- a/pre_commit/repository.py
+++ b/pre_commit/repository.py
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@ def _hook(*hook_dicts, **kwargs):
     if ret['language_version'] == C.DEFAULT:
         ret['language_version'] = languages[lang].get_default_version()
 
+    if not ret['stages']:
+        ret['stages'] = root_config['default_stages']
+
     return ret
 
 
diff --git a/tests/repository_test.py b/tests/repository_test.py
index d237da2b..590e7f25 100644
--- a/tests/repository_test.py
+++ b/tests/repository_test.py
@@ -715,6 +715,7 @@ def test_local_python_repo(store, local_python_config):
 def test_default_language_version(store, local_python_config):
     config = {
         'default_language_version': {'python': 'fake'},
+        'default_stages': ['commit'],
         'repos': [local_python_config],
     }
 
@@ -728,6 +729,23 @@ def test_default_language_version(store, local_python_config):
     assert hook.language_version == 'fake2'
 
 
+def test_default_stages(store, local_python_config):
+    config = {
+        'default_language_version': {'python': C.DEFAULT},
+        'default_stages': ['commit'],
+        'repos': [local_python_config],
+    }
+
+    # `stages` was not set, should default
+    hook, = all_hooks(config, store)
+    assert hook.stages == ['commit']
+
+    # `stages` is set, should not default
+    config['repos'][0]['hooks'][0]['stages'] = ['push']
+    hook, = all_hooks(config, store)
+    assert hook.stages == ['push']
+
+
 def test_hook_id_not_present(tempdir_factory, store, fake_log_handler):
     path = make_repo(tempdir_factory, 'script_hooks_repo')
     config = make_config_from_repo(path)
@@ -786,13 +804,13 @@ def test_manifest_hooks(tempdir_factory, store):
         files='',
         id='bash_hook',
         language='script',
-        language_version=C.DEFAULT,
+        language_version='default',
         log_file='',
         minimum_pre_commit_version='0',
         name='Bash hook',
         pass_filenames=True,
         require_serial=False,
-        stages=[],
+        stages=('commit', 'commit-msg', 'manual', 'push'),
         types=['file'],
         verbose=False,
     )